The first UFC fight card of 2024, UFC Vegas 84, took place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event showcased an exciting lineup of fights, culminating in a thrilling main event where highly ranked light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev delivered a knockout blow to Johnny Walker in the second round. Meanwhile, the co-headliner featured veteran UFC fighter Jim Miller adding yet another victory to his illustrious record-setting career.
Let's delve into the statistics from Saturday's UFC Vegas 84 event, streamed exclusively on ESPN+.
The card consisted of a total of 11 fights, with four unanimous decisions, six knockouts/TKOs, and one submission. The betting favorites performed well, finishing with a record of 8-3.
The weight classes represented in the event were as follows: one heavyweight, one light heavyweight, one middleweight, one welterweight, two lightweights, one featherweight, three bantamweights, and one flyweight.
In terms of the action inside the Octagon, there were a total of six knockdowns and 36 submission attempts. The fighters displayed their resilience with only one reversal throughout the evening.
A staggering 2,079 significant strikes were attempted during the event, with 971 successfully landing. Of these, 583 were significant head strikes, 183 were significant body strikes, and 205 were significant leg strikes.
When it came to striking range, there were 1,918 significant distance strikes attempted, with 857 connecting. Additionally, there were 74 significant clinch strikes attempted, resulting in 47 successful strikes. Lastly, 87 significant ground strikes were attempted, with 67 finding their mark.
Aside from strikes, there were also takedown attempts and successful takedowns. The fighters tried for a total of 66 takedowns, landing 23 of them.
Notable performances from the event included Nikolas Motta finishing Tom Nolan via TKO at just 1:03 of Round 1, making it the shortest three-round fight. On the other end of the spectrum, Jim Miller submitted Gabriel Benitez at 3:25 of Round 1, providing the latest finish in a three-round fight.
In terms of grappling, Preston Parsons stood out with an impressive seven takedowns on 11 attempts against Matthew Semelsberger. Both Parsons and Semelsberger also tied for the most submission attempts with two each.
Several fighters displayed their power with knockdowns, including six fighters who each landed a single knockdown throughout their respective fights.
Mario Bautista impressed with 112 significant strikes on 270 attempts against Ricky Simon, securing the most significant strikes landed in a three-round fight.
Jim Miller, a legendary figure in the UFC, broke numerous records during this event. With his victory, he now holds the record for the most fights in UFC history (43), surpassing his previous record. He also extended his record for the most wins in UFC history to 26. Miller's tenacity is further evident in his record-breaking number of submission attempts in the UFC (48). Additionally, he now holds the records for the most fights (40), wins (23), finishes (16), and submission attempts (45) in UFC lightweight history. Miller shares the record for the most submission wins in UFC lightweight history (10) with Charles Oliveira. Furthermore, Miller's total fight time in the UFC lightweight division stands at an impressive 6 hours, 32 minutes, and 47 seconds.
Another notable fighter, Andrei Arlovski, also made history during the event. With his appearance, he set a new record for the most fights (41) and fight time (6 hours, 34 minutes, and 58 seconds) in UFC heavyweight history. Arlovski's striking prowess is evident in his record for the most significant strikes landed in the UFC heavyweight division (1,511) and the highest total strikes landed (1,809).
UFC Vegas 84 was a spectacle that showcased the skill, determination, and record-breaking performances of some of the sport's most talented fighters. As the year progresses, fans eagerly await the next series of fights that will surely produce more electrifying moments and further shape the narrative of the UFC.
