The UFC will put a bow on its 2022 calendar Saturday with UFC Fight Night 216, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.
A matchup of middleweight contenders will mark the final UFC bout of the year. Jared Cannonier (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC) and Sean Strickland (25-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) will attempt to rebound from their July losses when they meet in a five-round bout that will put the winner back on the title path.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC Fight Night 216.
Jared Cannonier
Cannonier is 5-2 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in November 2018.
Cannonier is one of 15 fighters in UFC history to win fights in three weight classes. He’s been victorious at middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
Cannonier is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn knockout victories in three weight classes. Conor McGregor also accomplished the feat.
Cannonier has earned 12 of his 15 career victories by stoppage.
Cannonier has earned all six of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
Sean Strickland
Strickland is 4-1 since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in October 2020.
Strickland has earned eight of his 12 UFC victories by decision.
Strickland landed 186 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 28, a single-fight record for a UFC middleweight bout.
Strickland lands 5.99 significant strikes per minute in UFC middleweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Paulo Costa (6.49) and Gregory Rodrigues (6.19).
Strickland defends 69 percent of all opponent strike attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Strickland’s two victories in a 14-day stretch at UFC Fight Night 181 and UFC Fight Night 182 are tied for the third shortest span between non-tournament UFC wins.
Arman Tsarukyan vs. Damir Ismagulov
Damir Ismagulov (24-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) enters the event on a 19-fight winning streak. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since September 2015.
Ismagulov’s five-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Islam Makhachev (10), Beneil Dariush (eight) and Rafael Fiziev (six).
Ismagulov has earned all five of his UFC victories by decision.
Alex Caceres vs. Julian Erosa
Alex Caceres’ (19-13 MMA, 14-11 UFC) is 9-4 since he returned to the UFC featherweight division in January 2015.
Julian Erosa (27-9 MMA, 6-5 UFC) is 5-1 since he returned to the UFC for a third stint in June 2020.
Drew Dober vs. Bobby Green
Drew Dober (25-11 MMA, 12-6 UFC) becomes the 15th fighter in UFC history to make 20 lightweight appearances.
Dober’s seven knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Dustin Poirier (eight).
Bobby Green (29-13-1 MMA, 10-8-1 UFC) has landed 1,404 significant strikes in UFC lightweight competition are most in divisional history.
Cody Brundage vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Michal Oleksiejczuk (17-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is 1-0 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in August 2022.
Oleksiejczuk’s three knockdowns landed at UFC on ESPN+ 7 are tied for second most in a UFC light heavyweight bout behind Khalil Rountree’s four knockdowns landed at UFC 236.
Oleksiejczuk’s three knockdowns landed in 44 seconds are the most in the least amount of octagon time in a single UFC fight.
Cheyanne Vlismas vs. Cory McKenna
Cory McKenna (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned one of eight Von Flue choke submissions in UFC history. She accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 40.
McKenna is the only female UFC history to earn a submission victory by Von Flue choke.
Jake Matthews vs. Matthew Semelsberger
Jake Matthews (17-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) is 7-2 since he moved up to the UFC welterweight division in November 2017.
Matthew Semelsberger (10-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn multiple knockouts of 20 seconds or less. Anthony Johnson also accomplished the feat.
Julian Marquez vs. Deron Winn
Deron Winn (7-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) is 1-3 in his past four fights dating back to October 2019.
Winn landed 169 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN+ 12, the single-fight record for a three-round UFC middleweight bout.
Bryan Battle vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
Bryan Battle (8-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was successful in his welterweight debut at UFC on ESPN 40 in August.
Rinat Fakhretdinov (19-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) enters the event on an 18-fight winning streak. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since June 2013.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 216.
