The UFC’s annual trip to Abu Dhabi goes down Saturday with UFC 294, which takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island with a main card that airs on pay-per-view at a special time of 2 p.m. ET following prelims on ESPN+.
A highly anticipated lightweight championship rematch headlines the event. Islam Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) will attempt to log his second consecutive title defense when he runs it back with featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski (26-2 MMA, 13-1 UFC), who steps in for Charles Oliveira in 11 days’ notice to run back his narrow decision defeat to Makhachev at UFC 284 in February.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 294.
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Islam Makhachev
Makhachev’s 12-fight UFC winning streak is the longest active streak in the company.
Makhachev’s 11-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is the longest active streak in the division. Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson share the longest winning streak in divisional history at 12.
Makhachev lands 60.2 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Justin Gaethje (60.3 percent).
Makhachev absorbs 1.24 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, tied with Matt Serra for the best rate in company history.
Makhachev has landed at least one takedown in 11 of his 14 UFC appearances.
Makhachev has completed 62.5 percent of all takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind B.J. Penn (66.7 percent) and Ramsey Nijem (62.5 percent).
Makhachev has defended 90.9 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (92 percent).
Alexander Volkanovski
Volkanovski is the only Australian-born champion in UFC history.
Volkanovski, the featherweight champion who moves up to lightweight, can become the fifth simultaneous two-division champion in UFC history. Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes, Henry Cejudo and Daniel Cormier also accomplished the feat.
Volkanovski can become the ninth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes.
Volkanovski is one of four fighters in UFC history to make an title defense after losing a championship bout (the group is 4-0), along with Israel Adesanya, Max Holloway and B.J. Penn. He accomplished the feat at UFC 290.
Volkanovski’s six victories in UFC featherweight championship bouts are second-most in divisional history behind Jose Aldo (eight).
Volkanovski is one of four fighters in UFC history to start 12-0 with the promotion. Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman and Nurmagomedov also accomplished the feat.
Volkanovski’s 11-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since November 2021.
Usman, a former UFC welterweight champion, moves up to middleweight for the first time in his career.
Usman is one of two fighters in UFC history to start 15-0 with the promotion. A. Silva also accomplished the feat.
Usman’s 15-fight UFC winning streak, which ended at UFC 278, was the second-longest in company history behind Silva (16).
Usman’s 15 victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Neil Magny (21), Georges St-Pierre (19) and Matt Brown (17).
Usman’s average fight time of 17:35 in UFC welterweight competition is the second-longest in divisional history behind Rafael dos Anjos (18:35)
Usman has defended 97.3 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC competition, the highest rate in company history.
Usman’s 12 takedowns landed at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale are tied for second-most in a single UFC welterweight fight. Luigi Fioravanti holds the record with 13 at UFC 82.
Usman out-landed Tyron Woodley by a margin of 336-60 (+275) in total strikes at UFC 235, the record for a UFC championship fight.
Usman landed 192 body strikes at UFC 235, the single-fight UFC record.
Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) returns to the middleweight division for the first time since September 2020. He’s 1-0 with the promotion in the weight class.
Chimaev has earned 11 of his 12 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished eight of those wins in Round 1.
Chimaev absorbed just one significant strike in his opening four UFC appearances, the least of any fighter in company history.
Chimaev has had four UFC performances without absorbing a significant strike, the most in company history.
Chimaev has landed at least one takedown in five of his six UFC appearances.
Chimaev’s two UFC victories in a 10-day span in July 2020 marks the fastest stretch in company history.
Chimaev’s three UFC victories in a 66-day span from July 2020-September 2020 mark the fastest stretch in company history.
Chimaev has been awarded a fight-night bonus in five of his six UFC appearances.
Magomed Ankalaev
Magomed Ankalaev’s (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) 10-fight UFC unbeaten streak at light heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Ankalaev’s 10-fight UFC unbeaten streak at light heavyweight is the second-longest in divisional history behind Jon Jones (18).
Ankalaev is the only light heavyweight in UFC history to earn multiple knockout victories stemming from kicks.
Ankalaev defend 86.4 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the second-highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Aleksandar Rakic (90 percent).
Johnny Walker
Johnny Walker’s (21-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Carlos Ulberg (five), Jamahal Hill (four) and Khalil Rountree (four).
Walker has earned 19 of his 21 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished six of his seven UFC wins by first-round knockout.
Walker is one of 10 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back fist. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Walker is one of two fighters in UFC history to win a light heavyweight bout by knockout stemming from a flying knee. James Irvin also accomplished the feat.
Walker is one of five fighters in modern UFC history to win a light heavyweight bout by knockout in 15 seconds or less. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Tim Elliott vs. Muhammad Mokaev
Tim Elliott (19-12-1 MMA, 8-10 UFC) competes in his 18th UFC flyweight bout, the second-most appearances in divisional history behind Joseph Benavidez (19).
Elliott is 6-6 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in December 2016.
Elliott’s seven decision victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Benavidez for most in divisional history.
Elliott has landed 1,1715 total strikes in UFC flyweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Elliott landed 270 total strikes at UFC 164, the single-fight record for a UFC flyweight bout.
Elliott has landed 58 takedowns in UFC flyweight competition, tied with Demetrious Johnson for most in divisional history.
Muhammad Mokaev
Muhammad Mokaev’s (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at flyweight is tied with five other fighters for the longest active streak in the division.
Mokaev has earned seven of his 10 career victories by stoppage. He’s earned all three of his UFC finishes by submission.
Mokaev landed 12 takedowns in his win at UFC Fight Night 208, tied for the single-fight record for a three-fight UFC flyweight bout.
Mokaev’s 58-second finish at UFC Fight Night 204 marked the second-fastest submission in UFC flyweight history behind Ben Nguyen’s 49-second win at UFC Fight Night 110.
Anshul Jubli vs. Mike Breeden
Mike Breeden’s (10-6 MMA, 0-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is he longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since May 2021.
Nathaniel Wood vs. Muhammad Naimov
Nathaniel Wood (20-5 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is 3-0 since he moved up to the featherweight division in July 2022.
Viktoriia Dudakova vs. Jinh Yu Frey
Jinh Yu Frey’s (11-9 MMA, 2-5 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since July 2021.
Frey defends 89.3 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC strawweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Shara Magomedov vs. Bruno Silva
Bruno Silva’s (23-9 MMA, 4-3 UFC) four knockout victories since 2021 in UFC middleweight competition are the most in the division.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
