UFC 252 pre-event facts: Stipe Miocic makes history with third straight Daniel Cormier fight

The UFC returns to pay-per-view Saturday with UFC 252. The five-fight lineup follows prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ and goes down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

A pivotal moment in the sport’s history will unfold in the main event as UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (19-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and former two-division titleholder Daniel Cormier (22-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) will clash for the third and final time. The winner not only will have the belt and bragging rights for winning the trilogy, but they’ll also carry the distinction of greatest heavyweight in UFC history, according to UFC president Dana White.

Miocic and Cormier both bring extraordinary and decorated resumes to the octagon. For more on the numbers behind their fight, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 60 pre-event facts about UFC 252.

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Main event

Miocic becomes the first in history to face the same opponent in three consecutive UFC fights.

Miocic is one of four heavyweight champions in UFC history to have multiple reigns.

Miocic’s five UFC heavyweight title fight victories are tied with Tim Sylvia for second most in divisional history behind Randy Couture (six).

Miocic’s three consecutive UFC heavyweight title defense during his first reign were the most of any champion in divisional history.

Miocic’s 13 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fifth most in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (18), Frank Mir (16), Junior Dos Santos (15) and Derrick Lewis (15).

Miocic’s nine knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Lewis (11), Dos Santos (10) and Cain Velasquez (10).

Miocic’s stoppage victory at UFC 241 despite a -58 significant strike deficit is the second largest comeback in a UFC title fight behind Anderson Silva’s win over Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 (-60).

Miocic and Cormier combined for 304 significant strikes landed at UFC 241, the single-fight record for a UFC heavyweight fight.

Miocic’s nine fight-night bonuses for UFC heavyweight bouts are the most in divisional history.

Cormier is one of four simultaneous two-division champions in UFC history. Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo also accomplished the feat.

Cormier is one of seven two-division champions in UFC history. McGregor, Nunes, Cejudo, Georges St-Pierre, B.J. Penn and Randy Couture also accomplished the feat.

Cormier is one of three fighters in UFC history to record successful title defenses in two weight classes. Cejudo an Nunes also accomplished the feat.

Cormier is one of five fighters in UFC history to win a belt while coming off a loss. He accomplished the feat against Anthony Johnson at UFC 187.

Cormier is one of two fighters in UFC history to win two title fights following a loss or no-contest. Couture also accomplished the feat.

Cormier competes in the 17th heavyweight bout of his career. He’s 15-1 overall in the weight class.

Cormier lands 62.9 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Alistair Overeem (74 percent) and Anthony Hamilton (65.6 percent).

Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson combined for 260 significant strikes at UFC 192, a single-fight record for a UFC light-heavyweight bout.

Cormier’s 140 significant strikes landed against Gustafsson are second most in a UFC light-heavyweight bout behind Cyrille Diabate’s 146 at UFC on VERSUS 3.

Cormier is one of nine fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from the crucifix position. He accomplished the feat at UFC 220.

Cormier is 9-0 in his career when he lands at least two takedowns in a fight.

Cormier has spent just 12 seconds in bottom position in UFC heavyweight competition, the least in divisional history for anyone with at least five fights.

Co-main event

Sean O’Malley’s (12-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Petr Yan (seven) Aljamain Sterling (five) and Marlon Vera (five).

Marlon Vera’s (15-6-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is tied with Sterling for the second longest active streak in the division behind Yan (seven).

Vera has earned eight of his nine UFC victories by stoppage.

Vera’s seven stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Urijah Faber for second most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (eight).

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

Featured bout

Junior Dos Santos (21-7 MMA, 15-6 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since March 2019.

Dos Santos’ total fight time of 3:50:40 in UFC heavyweight competition is second most in company history behind Arlovski (4:48:42).

Dos Santos’ 15 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Arlovski (17) and Mir (16).

Dos Santos’ 10 knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Velasquez for second most in divisional history behind Lewis (11).

Dos Santos’ 14 knockdowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Dos Santos has landed 1,075 significant strikes in UFC heavyweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Dos Santos and Ben Rothwell combined for 234 significant strikes landed at UFC Fight Night 86, the third most in a single UFC heavyweight fight behind Miocic vs. Cormier (304) at UFC 241 and Fabricio Werdum vs. Marcin Tybura (282) at UFC Fight Night 121.

Dos Santos’ 157 significant strikes landed against Rothwell are second most in a UFC heavyweight fight behind Cormier (181) at UFC 241.

Dos Santos’ 92 significant body strikes landed against Rothwell are the UFC heavyweight record for a single fight.

Dos Santos defends 81.8 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Tybura (82.1 percent).

Jairzinho Rozenstruik (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned nine of his 10 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all of those wins by knockout.

Rozenstruik’s nine-second knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 12 is the second fastest in UFC heavyweight history behind Todd Duffee’s seven-second finish at UFC 102.

Rozenstruik’s knockout of Alistair Overeem at the 4:56 mark of Round 5 at UFC on ESPN 7 marked the third latest stoppage in UFC history behind Demetrious Johnson’s win (4:59 of Round 5) at UFC 186 and Yair Rodriguez’s victory (4:59 of Round 5) at UFC Fight Night 139.

Remaining main card

Daniel Pineda (26-13 MMA, 3-4 UFC) returns to the UFC for the first time since March 2014. He went 8-2 with two no contests between stints with the promotion.

Pineda has earned all 26 of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 18 of those wins by submission.

John Dodson (21-11 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is 4-4 since he returned to the UFC bantamweight division in April 2016. He’s 5-4 in the weight class overall.

Dodson has earned all six of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.

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

Merab Dvalishvili (11-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has earned eight of his 11 career victories by decision. That includes all four of his UFC wins.

Dvalishvili’s 39 takedowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.

Dvalishvili is one of two fighters in history to land 10 or more takedowns in three separate UFC bouts. Demetrious Johnson also accomplished the feat.

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

Preliminary card

Jim Miller (32-14 MMA, 21-13 UFC) competes in his 36th UFC bout, the most appearances in company history. His 34th lightweight appearance is also a divisional record.

Miller’s total fight time of 5:21:47 in UFC lightweight competition is most in divisional history.

Miller’s 21 victories in UFC competition are third most in company history behind Donald 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 10 submission victories in UFC competition are tied with Royce Gracie for third most in history behind Charles Oliveira (14) and Maia (11).

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

Miller’s 43 submission attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Miller’s 11 fight-night bonuses for UFC lightweight bouts are tied with Nate Diaz for third most in divisional history behind Cerrone (15) and Lauzon (15).

Vinc Pichel (12-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is 3-1 since he returned from a career-long layoff that lasted from May 2014 to June 2017.

Pichel lands 60.6 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second-highest rate among active fighters in the division behind Islam Makhachev (68 percent).

Felice Herrig (14-8 MMA, 5-3 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Oct. 6, 2018. The 679-day layoff (nearly two years) is the longest of her more than 11-year career.

Ashley Yoder (7-5 MMA, 2-4 UFC) was awarded the first 30-24 scorecard in a women’s UFC fight at UFC on ESPN+ 12.

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