Check out the latest breaking UFC NEWS
The UFC has a history of bringing strong fight cards to Southern California, and it’s no different with UFC 241, which takes place Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following a preliminary-card lineup on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Although it doesn’t consist of any former champions or title challengers, the prelims feature a number of notable up-and-comers across multiple weight classes. For more, check below for 25 pre-event facts about the UFC 241 preliminary card.
* * * *
Featured ESPN prelim
Devonte Smith (10-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished nine of those wins by knockout.
Smith has finished his past four wins by first-round knockout.
Smith’s 46-second knockout at UFC 234 is the fourth fastest finish by a debuting lightweight in UFC history.
Khama Worthy (12-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut as a replacement on just four days’ notice.
Other ESPN prelims
Raphael Assuncao (27-6 MMA, 11-3 UFC) becomes the fifth fighter to make 13 or more appearances in the UFC bantamweight division.
Assuncao is 11-2 since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in August 2011.
Assuncao’s 11 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (12).
Assuncao has earned eight of his 11 UFC victories by decision.
Assuncao defends 70.5 of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC bantamweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Vaughan Lee (71.5 percent) and Dominick Cruz (70.9 percent).
Cory Sandhagen (11-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) lands 8.49 significant strikes per minute during his four-fight UFC career.
Christos Giagos (17-7 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is 2-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September.
Drakkar Klose (10-1-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned all four of his UFC victories by decision.
Klose’s average fight time of 15:00 in UFC lightweight competition is the longest among active fighters in the weight class.
Manny Bermudez (14-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. He’s earned 11 of 12 career stoppage wins by submission. That includes all three of his UFC wins.
Bermudez’s three-fight submission streak in UFC competition is tied with Claudio Silva and Nathaniel Wood for the longest active streak in the company.
Bermudez’s 59-second triangle-choke win at UFC Fight Night 134 is the third fastest finish of its kind in UFC history. Only Rory Singer’s 44-second win at the TUF 3 Finale and Carlos Newton’s 52-second win at UFC 17 were faster.
ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass early prelims
Jodie Esquibel’s (6-5 MMA, 0-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since May 2017.
Kyung Ho Kang (15-8 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is 2-1 since he returned to competition from a nearly 3.5-year layoff in January 2018.
Kang has completed at least one takedown in six of his seven UFC appearances.
Brandon Davis (10-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC) was successful in his bantamweight debut at UFC 236 in April. He’s previously competed as high as lightweight.
Sabina Mazo (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 22, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Shana Dobson (3-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), returns to competition for the first time since Apr. 14, 2018. The 490-day layoff is the longest of her more than three-year career.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
News | MMA Junkie
MMA Life