The UFC returns to Boston for the seventh time in company history and the first time in nearly four years on Saturday with UFC 292, which takes place at TD Garden and has a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
A championship doubleheader takes center stage on the card. In the main event, Aljamain Sterling (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) will seek his fourth consecutive bantamweight title defense when he takes on Sean O'Malley (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), while the co-main event sees strawweight champ Zhang Weili (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) look for the first defense of her second title reign against dangerous Brazilian challenger Amanda Lemos (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC).
For the numbers behind both title bouts, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 292.
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Aljamain Sterling
Sterling is one of five fighters in UFC history to hold the undisputed bantamweight title.
Sterling’s three consecutive UFC title defenses are second-most among current champions behind featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski (five).
Sterling’s three consecutive UFC bantamweight title defenses are most by any champion in divisional history.
Sterling’s four victories in UFC bantamweight title fights are tied with Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao for second-most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (five).
Sterling competes in his 18th UFC bantamweight fight, tied for the second-most appearances in divisional history behind Pedro Munhoz (19).
Sterling’s total fight time of 3:49:49 in UFC bantamweight competition is the most in divisional history.
Sterling’s 14 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Sterling’s nine-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is the longest active streak in the division.
Sterling’s nine-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is the longest active streak in divisional history.
Sterling’s seven decision victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Raphael Assuncao (nine).
Sterling’s seven stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Marlon Vera (10) and Dillashaw (eight).
Sterling’s four submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (six) and Rani Yahya (six).
Sean O'Malley
O’Malley’s five knockout victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (seven), Vera (six) and Rob Font (six).
O’Malley lands 7.48 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition, the highest rate in bantamweight history.
O’Malley lands 60.9 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC bantamweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
O’Malley’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC bantamweight fights are tied with Munhoz for second-most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (eight).
Zhang Weili
Weili is the only Chinese fighter in history to win a UFC title.
Weili’s three victories in UFC bantamweight title fights are third-most in divisional history behind Joanna Jedrzejczyk (six) and Rose Namajunas (four).
Weili’s two knockout victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Lemos (three) and Jessica Andrade (three).
Weili and Jedrzejczyk combined for 351 significant strikes landed at UFC 248, the third most in UFC title-fight history. Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega hold the record with 400 total at UFC 231.
Amanda Lemos
Lemos’ average fight time of 7:22 in UFC strawweight competition is the shortest in divisional history.
Lemos’ five stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied with Andrade and Namajunas for most in divisional history.
Lemos’ five knockdowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.
Lemos’ three knockout victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied with Andrade for most in divisional history.
Neil Magny
Neil Magny (28-10 MMA, 21-9 UFC) competes in his 31st UFC welterweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Magny has alternated wins and losses over his past five fights. He was victorious in his most recent bout at UFC on ABC 5.
Magny is one of nine fighters in UFC history to reach 21 victories with the promotion.
Magny’s 21 victories in UFC welterweight competition are most in divisional history.
Magny’s total fight time of 6:17:34 in UFC welterweight competition is most in divisional history.
Magny’s 14 decision victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Magny has landed 1,329 significant strikes in UFC welterweight competition, the second-most in divisional history behind Kamaru Usman (1,334).
Magny is the only fighter in modern UFC history to make five or more octagon appearances in consecutive years. He went 4-1 in 2015 after going 5-0 in 2014.
Magny is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn five victories in a calendar year, as he did in 2014. Kevin Holland (2020) and Roger Huerta (2007) also accomplished the feat.
Ian Machado Garry
Ian Machado Garry’s (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight tied with four other fighters for the longest active streak in the division.
Garry lands 55.8 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Gunnar Nelson (60.5 percent).
Garry lands 6.86 significant strikes per minute in UFC welterweight competition, the third-highest rate in divisional history behind Daniel Rodriguez (7.55) and Jack Della Maddalena (7.31).
Mario Bautista vs. Da'Mon Blackshear
Mario Bautista (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earned a submission victory by triangle-armbar combination. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 212.
Da'Mon Blackshear (14-5-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC) makes his second UFC appearance in a seven-day stretch, tied with Loopy Godinez for the quick turnaround between non-tournament fights in UFC history. He won at UFC on ESPN 51 this past weekend.
Blackshear is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by Twister. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 51. Bryce Mitchell and Chan Sung Jung have also won with the technique.
Marlon Vera
Marlon Vera (20-8-1 MMA, 14-7 UFC) competes in his 19th UFC bantamweight bout, tied with Munhoz for the most appearances in divisional history.
Vera’s 12 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Sterling (14) and Dillashaw (13).
Vera’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Vera’s six knockout victories in UFC bantamweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (seven).
Vera’s two knockout victories stemming from head kicks in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Vera’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Petr Yan and Montel Jackson for most in divisional history.
Vera is one of two fighters in UFC history to score three knockdowns in back-to-back fights. Conor McGregor also accomplished the feat.
Vera is one of six fighters in UFC history to have two performances with three or more knockdowns landed. McGregor, Donald Cerrone, Anderson Silva, John Lineker and Israel Adesanya also accomplished the feat.
Vera is one of nine fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a front kick. He accomplished the feat at UFC 268. There’s been 10 such finishes overall, with Lyoto Machida being the only fighter to win twice with the technique.
Vera’s four submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Faber (six) and Yahya (six).
Vera’s -112 significant strike differential (159 vs. 271) at UFC on ESPN 35 is the largest negative differential for a fighter to win by decision in UFC history. The previous record belonged to Robbie Lawler’s -84 in his championship decision victory over Carlos Condit at UFC 195.
Pedro Munhoz
Pedro Munhoz (20-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) competes in his 20th UFC bantamweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Munhoz’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC bantamweight bouts are tied with O’Malley for second-most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (eight).
Chris Weidman vs. Brad Tavares
Chris Weidman (15-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since April 24, 2021. The 847-day layoff is the longest of his more than 14-year career.
Weidman became the first male fighter in UFC history to win a championship with an undefeated record and go on to successfully defend the belt more than once when he defeated Machida at UFC 175.
Weidman has completed at least one takedown in 16 of his 17 UFC appearances.
Weidman’s 42 takedowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are most in divisional history.
Brad Tavares (19-8 MMA, 14-8 UFC) competes in his 23rd UFC middleweight bout, tied with Nate Marquardt for the second-most appearances in divisional history behind Michael Bisping (24) and Nate Marquardt (23).
Tavares’ 14 victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Bisping (16).
Tavares’ total fight time of 4:41:40 in UFC middleweight competition is second-most in divisional history behind Bisping (5:15:15).
Tavares’ 12 decision victories in UFC middleweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Tavares’ 12 decision victories in UFC competition are tied for second-most in company history behind Magny (14).
Andre Petroski vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Andre Petroski’s (9-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at middleweight is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Dricus Du Plessis (six).
Gerald Meerschaert (35-16 MMA, 10-8 UFC) has earned 32 of his 34 career victories by stoppage. That includes all 10 of his UFC wins.
Meerschaert’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind A. Silva (11).
Meerschaert’s nine submission victories in UFC middleweight competition are most in divisional history.
Meerschaert’s nine submission victories in UFC competition are the sixth-most in company history behind Charles Oliveira (16), Demian Maia (11), Jim Miller (11), Nate Diaz (10) and Royce Gracie (10).
Andrea Lee vs. Natalia Silva
Andrea Lee (13-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) has landed 19 takedowns in UFC women’s flyweight competition, the third-most in divisional history behind Valentina Shevchenko (35) and Gillian Robertson (21).
Lee is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by triangle-armbar. She accomplished the feat at UFC 262.
Lee’s two fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s flyweight bouts are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Molly McCann (three).
Natalia Silva’s (15-5-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) two knockout victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Shevchenko (four) and Maycee Barber (three).
Silva is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back kick to the head, which she did at UFC Fight Night 215.
Maryna Moroz vs. Karine Silva
Maryna Moroz (11-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) fell to 3-1 since she moved up to the UFC women’s flyweight division in March 2019.
Moroz’s two fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s flyweight bouts are tied for second-most in divisional history behind McCann (three).
Karine Silva (16-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all 16 of her career victories by stoppage. She’s finished 12 of those wins in Round 1.
Silva is one of two females in UFC history to earn a submission victory by D’Arce choke. She accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 207. Tatiana Suarez also won with the technique.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
