30 post-event facts about 'UFC Fight Night 29: Maia vs. Shields'

After a streak of 15 five-round non-title UFC main event fights ending inside the distance, Jake Shields and Demian Maia broke the trend at UFC Fight Night 29 and fought 25 hard minutes to a split decision.

It may not have been the barnburner fans were hoping for, but Shields (29-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) did what only one other foreigner (Rich Franklin at UFC 147) before him did by entering hostile territory to defeat a Brazilian in a headlining contest.

The former Strikeforce champion has had a tough road in the UFC. However, he is undefeated in his past four trips to the octagon and is slowly but surely inching back toward his goal of a rematch with 170-pound champion Georges St-Pierre. The win over Maia (18-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) was a crucial one.

Wednesday’s event may not have been the most memorable card of the year, with six of the 10 fights decided by the judges, but it certainly had its moments that resulted in some noteworthy figures.

So with the help of FightMetric, take a look at 30 facts to come out of UFC Fight Night 29.

GENERAL

UFC Fight Night 29 drew an announced attendance of 6,621. UFC officials dubbed it a sellout.

Dong Hyun Kim (18-2-1 MMA, 9-2 UFC), Raphael Assuncao (21-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and T.J. Dillashaw (8-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) earned $50,000 UFC Fight Night 29 bonuses.

UFC Fight Night 29 was the fifth event in 2013 without a “Submission of the Night” bonus.

In the 11 events the UFC has held in Brazil, Brazilian fighters are 59-20 against foreign opponents. Fighters from the country went 5-4 against foreign opponents at UFC Fight Night 29.

Betting favorites went 4-6 on the card.

Total fight time of the 10-bout card was 2:01:57.

MAIN CARD

Maia suffered his first defeat in four fights since dropping to the UFC welterweight division.

For the first time in his UFC career, Maia failed to earn a victory in a fight in which he landed at least one takedown. He was previously 12-0 when completing at least one takedown.

Maia out-landed Shields 98-97 in total strikes over the course of their five-round bout.

Kim earned his first stoppage victory since May 24, 2008 – a span of 1,964 days (nearly 5.5 years) and 11 fights.

Erick Silva (15-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) was knocked out for the first time in his 20-fight career.

Silva has alternated wins and losses throughout his six-fight UFC career.

Thiago Silva (16-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has won back-to-back fights for the first time since 2008.

Silva earned his first decision victory since April 6, 2006 – a span of 2,743 days (7.5 years) and 17 fights.

Silva’s 96 significant strikes landed were a personal best in his 12-fight UFC career.

Silva’s 36 leg kicks landed were the third most ever in a UFC light heavyweight bout and the 11th most overall in UFC history.

Joey Beltran (14-9 MMA, 3-6 UFC) fell to 1-6 (with one no-contest) in his past eight UFC fights. “The Mexicutioner” is winless in his past five UFC fights.

Rousimar Palhares‘ (15-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) 31-second heel-hook submission was the second fastest of its kind in UFC history behind Justin Martin, who defeated Eric Martin in 14 seconds at UFC 12.

Palhares’ 31-second submission victory was the third fastest in UFC welterweight history.

Palhares became just the second fighter in modern UFC history to earn two sub-minute submission victories. The other is Frank Mir, who owns three submission wins in less than a minute.

Palhares’ five leg-lock submission victories are the most in UFC history.

Palhares became the only fighter in modern UFC history to win two fights without landing a single strike.

Mike Pierce (17-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) was submitted for the first time in his 23-fight career.

Assuncao’s five-fight UFC winning streak is the second longest in the bantamweight division behind interim champion Renan Barao.

Assuncao improved to 5-0 since dropping to the bantamweight division.

Dillashaw became the first Team Alpha Male fighter to lose a UFC bout in 2013.

Dillashaw managed two successful takedowns of Assuncao. Assuncao had previously defended all five of his opponents’ attempts in the UFC and 14 of 17 in his UFC/WEC career.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Igor Araujo‘s (24-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) 128 total strikes landed in his victory over Ildemar Alcantara were the most of any fighter on the card.

Chris Cariaso (15-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) earned his first knockout victory since Oct. 24, 2009 – a span of 1,446 days (four years) and 10 fights.

Iliarde Santos (27-9-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC) fell to 0-3 in his UFC career.

Garett Whiteley (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) was knocked out for the first time in his career.

For more on UFC Fight Night 29, check out the UFC Events section of the site.