UFC 257 pre-event facts: Dustin Poirier, Conor McGregor bring legendary stats into rematch

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Poirier won a UFC title in his 22nd octagon appearance, the second most of any champion in company history behind Michael Bisping (26).

Poirier competes in his ninth UFC main event. He’s 5-3 in previous headliners.

Poirier is 10-2 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in April 2015.

Poirier is one of 10 fighters in UFC history to earn 18 or more wins with the promotion.

Poirier’s six knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Melvin Guillard (seven) and Edson Barboza (seven).

Poirier lands 6.45 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Justin Gaethje (7.46) and T.J. Grant (6.83).

Poirier is the only lightweight in UFC history to land 150 or more significant strikes in three separate fights.

Poirier and Dan Hooker combined for 390 total strikes landed at UFC on ESPN 12, the single-fight record for a UFC lightweight bout.

Poirier is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn two or more submission victories by D’Arce choke. Tony Ferguson and Vicente Luque also accomplished the feat.

Poirier is one of 12 fighters in UFC history to earn 10 fight-night bonuses.

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McGregor became the first simultaneous two-division champions in UFC history when he defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.

McGregor is one of four fighters in UFC history to be a simultaneous two-division champion. Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo also accomplished the feat.

McGregor is one of seven fighters in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes. Cormier, Nunes, Cejudo, Georges St-Pierre, Randy Couture, and B.J. Penn also accomplished the feat.

McGregor has earned 19 of his 22 career victories by knockout. He earned 17 of those finishes in the first round.

McGregor is one of 13 fighters in UFC history to earn victories in three weight classes.

McGregor is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn knockout victories in three different weight classes. Vitor Belfort and Jared Cannonier also accomplished the feat.

McGregor is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn three knockdowns in a single fight on two separate occasions. Donald Cerrone, Israel Adesanya, Anderson Silva and John Lineker also accomplished the feat.

McGregor is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn three knockdowns in a single fight in two separate weight classes. Silva also accomplished the feat.

McGregor’s 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo at UFC 194 marked the fastest title-fight stoppage in UFC history.

McGregor is the only fighter in UFC history to receive fight-night bonuses in eight consecutive bouts. No one else has been awarded a bonus in more than seven straight fights.

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Dan Hooker (20-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is 7-2 since he moved up to lightweight in June 2017.

Hooker has earned 17 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. That includes eight of his 10 UFC wins.

Hooker has earned UFC knockouts stemming from a punch, kick, knee and elbows.

Hooker and Poirier combined for 390 total strikes landed at UFC on ESPN 12, the single-fight record for a UFC lightweight bout.

Hooker defends 90 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, tied for the third best rate in divisional history behind Leonardo Santos (95.5 percent) and Gleison Tibau (92 percent).

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Michael Chandler (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut following a 23-fight Bellator stint, tied for the most appearances in company history.

Chandler’s 18 victories in Bellator competition are second most in company history behind Patricio Freire (19).

Chandler’s 15 victories in Bellator lightweight competition are most in divisional history.

Chandler’s 13 stoppage victories in Bellator competition are most in company history.

Chandler’s 10 stoppage victories in Bellator lightweight competition are most in divisional history.

Chandler’s six submission victories in Bellator competition are tied for third most in company history behind Goiti Yamauchi (eight) and Neiman Gracie (seven).

Chandler’s 11 appearances in Bellator title fights are most in company history.

Chandler is one of three fighters in Bellator/UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce history with three title reigns in a single weight class. Randy Couture and Douglas Lima also accomplished the feat.

Chandler’s six victories in Bellator championship fights are second most in company history behind Freire (nine).

Chandler’s five losses in Bellator title fights are the most in company history.

Jessica Eye (15-8 MMA, 5-7 UFC) is 4-2 since she dropped to the UFC women’s flyweight division in January 2018.

Joanne Calderwood (14-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) is 4-2 since she moved up to the UFC women’s flyweight division.

Calderwood’s 68 leg kicks landed at UFC 238 are the single-fight record for a three-round UFC fight.

Calderwood is one of 13 fighters in UFC history to suffer multiple armbar submission losses in UFC competition.

Matt Frevola (8-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Oct. 12, 2019. The 469-day layoff is the longest of his more than six-year career.

Ottman Azaitar (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 10 of those wins in Round 1.

Marina Rodriguez (12-1-2 MMA, 2-1-2 UFC) is the only female fighter in UFC history to fight to multiple draws.

Amanda Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) returns to the strawweight division after a one-fight stint at women’s flyweight.

Brad Tavares (17-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Nov. 2, 2019. The 448-day layoff is the longest of his more than 13-year career.

Tavares’ 10 decision victories in UFC middleweight competition are most in divisional history.

Antonio Carlos Junior (10-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Sept. 14, 2019. The 497-day layoff is the longest of his nearly seven-year career.

Carlos Junior is 6-3 (with one no contest) since he dropped to middleweight in June 2015.

Carlos Junior’s five submission victories in UFC middleweight competition are tied with Gerald Meerschaert, Thales Leites, Rousimar Palhares and Demian Maia for most in divisional history.

Carlos Junior’s five rear-naked choke wins in UFC competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Maia (eight) and Kenny Florian (seven).

Sara McMann (12-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) McMann competes in her 12th UFC women’s bantamweight bout, tied with Nunes for the second-most appearances in divisional history behind Raquel Pennington (13).

McMann’s six victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Nunes (11) and Pennington (eight).

McMann has landed 20 takedowns in UFC women’s bantamweight competition, the most in divisional history.

McMann’s two submission victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for the second most in divisional history behind Ronda Rousey (three).

McMann’s victory at 1:14 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night 105 marked the second fastest submission in UFC women’s bantamweight history behind Rousey’s 14-second finish of Cat Zingano at UFC 184.

Khalil Rountree (8-5 MMA, 5-4 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Sept. 28, 2019. The 483-day layoff is the longest of his nearly seven-year career.

Rountree’s four knockdowns landed at UFC 236 are the single-fight record for a UFC light heavyweight bout.

Marcin Prachnio’s (13-5 MMA, 0-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since August 2017.

Prachnio has suffered all three of his UFC losses by knockout.

Makhmud Muradov (24-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is 18-1 in his past 19 fights dating back to March 2015. He’s won his past 13 bouts.

Nik Lentz (30-11-2 MMA, 14-8-1 UFC) competes in his eighth UFC featherweight bout. He’s 4-3 in the weight class.

Lentz’s 68 takedowns landed in UFC competition are fifth most in company history behind St-Pierre (90), Gleison Tibau (84), Demetrious Johnson (74) and Frankie Edgar (68).

Lentz’s 20 guillotine choke attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Lentz and Charles Oliveira are one of three pairs of fighters in UFC history to have a trilogy in which all three fights were not for a title. Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz and Sam Stout vs. Spencer Fisher also accomplished the feat.

Movsar Evloev (13-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all three of his UFC victories by decision.

Amir Albazi (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) marks the first time in UFC history a fighter whose first two initials start with A takes on a fighter whose first two initials start with Z.

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