UFC Fight Night 31 preview: 40 pre-fight facts for 'Fight for the Troops 3'

Most UFC fight cards are, at least in part, built to satisfy the market where the event is held.

And though UFC Fight Night 31 takes place at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, the situation is no different as former special forces soldier Tim Kennedy headlines the charity show for a crowd of active servicemen and women.

It’s the organization’s third “Fight for the Troops” event. The first two shows raised more than $8 million for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.

Taking on Kennedy (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in the scheduled five-round main event is jiu-jitsu ace Rafael Natal (17-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC), who stepped in for Lyoto Machida a month ago.

While it may not be the UFC’s most star-studded event of the year, the card still features several compelling matchups.

So without further ado (and with the help of the good people at FightMetric), it’s on with 35 pre-fight facts about UFC Fight Night 31.

MAIN EVENT

Natal’s current three-fight UFC winning streak is the third longest in the middleweight division.

Natal’s average fight time of 14:01 is tied with Tim Boetsch for the third most all-time in UFC middleweight history.

Natal’s 78.3 percent takedown defense rate is fifth in UFC middleweight history.

Natal’s absorbs 1.6 strikes per minute of fighting, the seventh lowest average of any competitor in UFC middleweight history.

Kennedy’s five submission victories during his Strikeforce career were tied with Luke Rockhold for most in the now-defunct promotion’s history.

Kennedy absorbed 1.46 significant strikes per minute during his Strikeforce career, the fourth lowest average in organizational history.

Kennedy’s 81.8 percent takedown defense rate was the fourth best in Strikeforce history.

REMAINING MAIN CARD

Liz Carmouche (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) will become the first woman to compete under the UFC banner three times.

Carmouche landed 42 significant ground strikes in Round 2 of her UFC on FOX 8 fight against Jessica Andrade, the sixth most ever in a single UFC round.

Carmouche’s 238 total strikes landed in a Strikeforce bout against Marloes Coenen were the second most in organizational history. Jake Shields‘ 280 total strikes against Dan Henderson led the category.

Alexis Davis‘ (14-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) 213 total strikes landed in a Strikeforce bout against Sarah Kaufman were the fourth most in company history.

Yoel Romero (5-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is one of 10 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a flying-knee strike.

Jorge Masvidal (25-7 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is just one of two fighters in UFC history to finish a fight by submission at 4:59 of Round 2, as he did against Michael Chiesa at UFC on FOX 8. The other is Chan Sung Jung against Leonard Garcia at UFC Fight Night 24.

Masvidal has landed a greater number of significant strikes than his opponent in five of his past six fights that have gone go the distance. His 356 significant strikes landed during his Strikeforce career ranked third most in lightweight history.

Masvidal’s 76.8 percent striking defense rate was the third best of any fighter in Strikeforce history.

Masvidal’s 83.3 percent takedown defense rate was the third best in Strikeforce history.

Rustam Khabilov (16-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is one of eight fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a slam takedown.

Chiesa (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) vs. Colton Smith (3-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is the ninth fight in UFC history between winners of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show.

PRELIMINARY CARD

James Krause‘s (20-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) submission of Sam Stout at 4:47 of Round 3 at UFC 161 was the second latest submission ever in a three-round UFC fight (first is Cole Miller vs. Jorge Gurgel at 4:48 of Round 3 at UFC 86).

Bobby Green‘s (20-5 MMA, 1-0 UFC) submission of Jacob Volkmann at 4:25 of Round 3 at UFC 156 was the third latest submission in UFC lightweight history.

George Roop (14-9-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is one of three fighters in UFC history (Diego Sanchez, Kenny Florian) to win bouts in three different weight classes.

Roop is 2-0 since returning to the UFC bantamweight division.

Steven Siler‘s (23-10 MMA, 5-1 UFC) five UFC featherweight victories are tied with divisional champion Jose Aldo for the second most of any fighter in history behind Dustin Poirier and Darren Elkins (six).

Siler’s 450 total strikes landed are the fourth-most in UFC featherweight history.

Siler has attempted seven submissions in his UFC career, which is tied for the second most in featherweight history.

Siler’s 50-second knockout of Mike Brown at UFC Fight Night 26 is tied for the fifth fastest knockout in UFC/WEC featherweight history.

Dennis Bermudez‘s (11-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Chad Mendes for the second longest in the featherweight division behind Aldo (five).

Of the 23 media outlets to score Bermudez’s past two fights on MMADecisions.com, only one score was in his favor. He won both fights by split decision.

Bermudez’ 14 takedowns landed are the fourth most in UFC featherweight history. His 46.7 percent takedown accuracy is best in UFC featherweight history, and his 3.85 takedown attempts per 15 minutes of fighting ranks second in 145-pound history behind Mendes (4.06).

Bermudez’ 275 significant strikes landed are fifth most in UFC featherweight history. His 5.04 strikes landed per minute rank third in divisional history.

Bermudez’s 120 significant strikes landed against Matt Grice at UFC 157 are tied for the fifth most in a single UFC/WEC featherweight contest.

Amanda Nunes‘ (8-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) 14-second knockout of Julia Budd at Strikeforce Challengers 14 was the fourth fastest KO in Strikeforce history.

Chris Camozzi‘s (19-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) 3.93 strikes landed per minute rank eighth all-time in UFC middleweight history.

Yves Edwards‘ (42-20-1 MMA, 10-8 UFC) 20 professional MMA defeats are the most of any fighter on the UFC roster.

Edwards will compete in his 18th UFC lightweight bout, the most of any fighter in history. His 2:52:08 of total fight time ranks ninth all-time in lightweight history.

Edwards’ eight knockdowns landed rank second in lightweight history behind Melvin Guillard (13).

Edwards is just one of five fighters in UFC history to earn two knockout victories stemming from a kick to the head.

Edwards’ 70.2 percent significant strike defense rate is fifth in lightweight history.

For more on UFC Fight Night 31, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Tim Kennedy, Liz Carmouche and James Krause)