UFC on ESPN+ 25 pre-event facts: Husband and wife share a card for the first time

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UFC on ESPN+ 25 pre-event facts: Husband and wife share a card for the first time

The UFC visits New Mexico for the second time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 25, which takes place at Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho and streams entirely on ESPN+.

A rematch between light heavyweight contenders takes center stage in the main event. Corey Anderson (13-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) will attempt to continue his winning streak with a second victory over Jan Blachowicz (25-8 MMA, 8-5 UFC), who will attempt to avenge his unanimous-decision loss from UFC 191 in September 2015.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the 13-fight card, check below for 55 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 25.

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Main event

Anderson’s four-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Jon Jones for the longest active streak in the division.

Anderson is one of 12 fighters in UFC history with 10 or more light heavyweight wins.

Anderson’s 10 victories since 2014 in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Ovince Saint Preux for most in the division.

Anderson’s 61-second knockout of Matt Van Buren at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale stands as the fastest finish in a “TUF” tournament final.

Anderson’s 53 takedowns landed in UFC light heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.

Anderson lands 50 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the third-highest rate in divisional history behind Lyoto Machida (65 percent) and Blachowicz (52 percent).

Anderson lands 4.98 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC light heavyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Anderson’s 12 takedowns landed against Patrick Cummins at UFC Fight Night 128 are the single-fight record for a UFC light-heavyweight bout.

Anderson’s 12 takedowns landed vs. Cummins at UFC Fight Night 128 are tied for the fifth most in a single UFC fight.

Blachowicz competes in his third UFC headliner. He’s 1-1 in previous main events.

Blachowicz is 6-1 in his past seven UFC appearances dating back to October 2017. The only defeat in that stretch came to Thiago Santos.

Blachowicz is one of two light heavyweights in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a body kick. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 53.

Blachowicz lands 52 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the second highest rate in divisional history behind Machida (65 percent).

Co-main event

Diego Sanchez (29-12 MMA, 18-12 UFC), 38, is the oldest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Sanchez competes in his 31st UFC bout, tied for the fourth most appearances in company history behind Donald Cerrone (34), Jim Miller (33) and Jeremy Stephens (32).

Sanchez is the only active UFC fighter who was a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 1.”

Sanchez is one of two fighters in UFC history to compete in four different weight classes. Kenny Florian also accomplished the feat.

Sanchez is one of nine fighters in UFC history to earn victories in three different weight classes.

Sanchez is 2-2 since he returned to the UFC welterweight division in November 2017. He’s 11-6 at 170 pounds under the UFC banner.

Sanchez’s 12 victories by decision in UFC competition are tied with Georges St-Pierre for most in company history.

Sanchez has fought to a decision 20 times in UFC competition, the most in company history.

Sanchez has absorbed 1,342 total head strikes in his UFC career, the second-most in company history behind B.J. Penn (1,434).

Remaining main card

Montana De La Rosa’s (10-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC) three stoppage victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied with Valentina Shevchenko for second most in divisional history behind Gillian Robertson (four).

De La Rosa’s three submission victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied with Robertson for most in divisional history.

Rogerio Bontorin (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage.

Ray Borg (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) returns to the flyweight division for the first time since October 2017. He’s 5-3 in the weight class under the UFC banner.

Lando Vannata (10-4-2 MMA, 2-4-2 UFC) is 1-3-2 in his past six UFC appearances.

Vannata’s two draws in men’s UFC competition are tied with Ken Shamrock, B.J. Penn and Caol Uno for most in company history.

Yancy Medeiros (15-6 MMA, 6-6 UFC) was unsuccessful in his return to the UFC lightweight division at UFC on ESPN+ 1 in January 2019. He’s 3-5 (with one no contest) in the weight class overall.

Medeiros’ average fight time of 6:58 in UFC lightweight competition is third shortest among active fighters in the weight class behind Charles Oliveira (4:51) and Drew Dober (6:41).

Medeiros vs. Alex Oliveira at UFC 218 is the only fight in UFC history to feature two knockdowns for each fighter.

Preliminary card

Tim Means (29-11-1 MMA, 11-8 UFC) is 9-6 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2014.

John Dodson (20-11 MMA, 9-6 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Feb. 23, 2019. The 357-day layoff is the longest of his 15-year career.

Dodson enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He’s 1-3 in his past four bouts and hasn’t earned a victory since March 2018.

Dodson is 3-4 since he returned to the UFC bantamweight division in April 2016. He’s 4-4 in the weight class overall.

Dodson has fought to three split decision results in UFC bantamweight competition, tied for second most in divisional history behind Kyung Ho Kang (four).

Nathaniel Wood (16-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his UFC wins.

Wood’s three submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (six) and Rani Yahya (five).

Wood’s three-fight submission streak in UFC competition is tied with Claudio Silva for the longest among active fighters on the roster.

Jim Miller (31-13 MMA, 20-12 UFC) competes in his 34th UFC bout, tied with Cerrone for the most appearances in company history.

Miller competes in his 33rd UFC lightweight bout, the most in divisional history.

Miller’s total fight time of 5:06:47 in UFC lightweight competition is most in divisional history.

Miller’s 20 victories in UFC competition are tied with Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping for third most in company history behind Cerrone (23) and Demian Maia (22).

Miller’s 19 victories in UFC lightweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Miller’s 12 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Joe Lauzon (13).

Miller’s nine submission victories in UFC lightweight competition are most in divisional history.

Miller’s 42 submission attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Devin Clark (10-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past six UFC appearances. He was defeated in his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN+ 19 in October.

Clark has earned all of his UFC victories by decision. He’s suffered all of his career losses by stoppage.

Dequan Townsend (21-9 MMA, 0-1 UFC) becomes the first fighter to make two UFC appearances in 2020. He suffered a defeat at UFC on ESPN+ 24 on Jan. 25.

Merab Dvalishvili’s (9-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) 11 takedowns landed at UFC Fight Night 123 are tied for the single-fight UFC/WEC bantamweight record.

Dvalishvili’s 11 takedowns landed at UFC Fight Night 123 are tied for the single-fight UFC record for most in a loss.

Dvalishvili outlanded Terrion Ware by 183 total strikes at UFC Fight Night 136, the biggest differential in a single UFC/WEC bantamweight bout.

Mark De La Rosa (11-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC), along with his wife Montana, become the first spouses in UFC history to compete on the same card.

Raulian Paiva (18-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC), 24, is the youngest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.

UFC on ESPN+ 25 pre-event facts: Husband and wife share a card for the first time