UFC Fight Night 52 pre-fight facts: Roy Nelson looks to continue record KO streak

For the first time in 18 months the octagon touches down in “The Land of the Rising Sun” as UFC Fight Night 52 takes place Saturday from Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

The UFC Fight Pass-streamed event will see Mark Hunt (9-8-1 MMA, 4-2-1 UFC) and Roy Nelson (20-9 MMA, 7-5 UFC) collide in a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown scheduled for five rounds.

Hunt was last seen trading blows in a 2013 “Fight of the Year” candidate against Antonio Silva, while “Big Country” scored a highlight-reel finish of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his most recent outing.

The organization’s sixth trip to Japan also features some of the top Asian talent the sport has to offer as well as several other characters of note. For more on the numbers behind the September’s third UFC fight card, check out the 65 pre-fight facts about UFC Fight Night 52.

Main event

Hunt, 40, is the oldest active fighter in the UFC heavyweight division. His opponent, Nelson, is second oldest in the weight class at 38.

Hunt and Silva combined for 200 significant strikes at UFC Fight Night 33, a single-fight UFC heavyweight record.

Hunt has landed 87.4 percent of his significant strikes under the UFC banner to his opponent’s head, the largest proportion of head strikes in UFC heavyweight history.

Hunt connects with 48.7 percent of his strikes overall in UFC competition, the fourth highest rate among active heavyweight fighters.

Hunt owns an 11-to-4 career knockdown ratio.

Hunt has defended 84 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in the UFC, the second highest defense rate in heavyweight history behind Andrei Arlovski (88.4 percent).

Nelson is the only fighter in UFC history to record their first seven victories with the organization by knockout.

Nelson has earned all seven of his UFC victories by knockout. Those seven knockout finishes are tied with Junior Dos Santos, Gabriel Gonzaga and Matt Mitrione for the third most in UFC heavyweight history behind Cain Velasquez (nine) and Arlovski (eight).

Nelson has earned six of those seven knockout victories in the first round. His six first-round knockouts under the UFC banner are tied for the third most in company history behind Vitor Belfort (nine) and Anderson Silva (seven).

Nelson has suffered five decision losses in UFC heavyweight competition, the most of any fighter in the history of the weight class. Overall, he’ suffered eight of his nine career losses on points and has not been stopped in MMA competition since October 2008.

Nelson has absorbed 523 significant strikes throughout his UFC career. That’s the second most of any fighter in heavyweight history behind Frank Mir (541), and the most without suffering a knockout loss. Of those 523 strikes, 367 were landed to the head.

Nelson has been awarded six fight-night bonuses in his UFC career, the most of any fighter in UFC heavyweight history.

Co-main event

Myles Jury’s (14-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning is tied with T.J. Grant for the second longest active streak in the UFC lightweight division behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (six).

Jury has earned all but three of his career victories by knockout (six) or submission (five). All of those stoppages have come inside the first round.

Jury absorbs just 1.23 significant strikes per minute of fighting, the best defense rate in UFC lightweight history.

Jury has landed on 12 of his 17 takedown attempts in the UFC for a 70.6 percent accuracy rate, That’s well above the UFC average of 39.5 percent.

Takanori Gomi (35-9 MMA, 4-4 UFC) will compete in his home country of Japan for the fourth time in his UFC career. He is 2-1 in his previous three bouts with the lone defeat in that stretch being a controversial split decision to Diego Sanchez.

Gomi owns a 10-to-2 knockdown ratio during UFC and PRIDE competition.

Gomi lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.44 per minute of fighting, the fifth highest output among active UFC lightweights.

Gomi recorded the fastest knockout in the history of the now-defunct PRIDE organization when he stopped Ralph Gracie in just six seconds at PRIDE Bushido 3.

Gomi’s connected with 130 significant strikes against Isaac Vallie-Flagg at UFC 172, the fifth most ever landed by a single fighter in a UFC lightweight bout.

Remaining main card

Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-5 w. 2 NC MMA, 1-4 UFC) returns to the octagon for the first time since Feb. 26, 2012. His 937-day break from competition is longest layoff in a professional career that dates back to his December 2004 debut.

Akiyama enters the event on a career-worst four-fight losing streak. He suffered UFC losses to Jake Shields, Belfort, Michael Bisping and Chris Leben during that stretch.

Akiyama is one of seven active fighters on the current UFC roster who is in the midst of a four-fight losing streak with the organization. Mir, Efrain Escudero, Bobby Voelker, Charlie Brenneman, Chis Camozzi and Mike Easton are the others in a similar slump.

Akiyama’s decision loss to Shields at UFC 144 marked his first-ever welterweight bout. He will compete at 170 pounds for the second time in his career at UFC Fight Night 52.

Akiyama has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by submission (seven) or knockout (five).

Amir Sadollah (6-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) is one of two active UFC fighters to have competed in all their professional bouts under the UFC banner. Heavyweight Mitrione is the other.

Sadollah returns to the octagon for the first time since Sept. 29, 2012. His 721-day break from competition is longest layoff in a professional career that dates back to his June 2008 debut.

Sadollah lands 5.06 strikes per minute of fighting, the highest rate among active UFC welterweights and second highest in divisional history behind Duane Ludwig (6.72).

Sadollah suffered a knockout loss to UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks in just his second professional fight.

Miesha Tate (14-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) is 2-3 in her past five professional fights.

Tate has earned at least one takedown in all 11 of her UFC/Strikeforce appearances.

Tate’s 3.46 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting in her Strikeforce career is the fourth highest rate for any fighter in the now-defunct organization’s history. Her 18 takedowns overall in Strikeforce competition are tied for the fifth most in history.

Tate has established a 16-to-5 takedown ratio over the course of her seven UFC and Strikeforce victories. In her four losses between the organizations, she’s been out-landed at a rate of 7-to-10.

Tate is the only fighter in combined Strikeforce/UFC/WEC/PRIDE history to come back from being knocked down three times in a fight to finish their opponent. She accomplished the feat against Julie Kedzie at “Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman.”

Tate has been stopped by knockout or submission in all five of her career losses.

Rin Nakai (16-0-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her UFC debut with the momentum of a 17-fight undefeated streak. She has not suffered a single loss in a professional career that dates back to her October 2006 debut.

Nakai and Tate will compete in the first-ever women’s UFC bout in Japan.

Kiichi Kunimoto (17-5-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) enters the event on a career-best six-fight winning streak. The 33-year-old has suffered just one loss in his past 14 fights overall.

Kyoji Horoguchi (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) enters the event on a career-best six-fight winning streak.

Jon Delos Reyes (7-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has earned all of his professional victories by knockout or submission.

Delos Reyes drops to the UFC flyweight division after losing his promotional debut to Dustin Kimura at bantamweight.

Preliminary card

Alex Caceres (10-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) is 5-2 with one no-contest since dropping to the UFC bantamweight division in November 2011.

Caceres’ five UFC victories are the second most of any cast member from “The Ultimate Fighter 12,” behind Michael Johnson (six).

Caceres’ two submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for the third most in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (five) and Bryan Caraway (three).

Caceres has attempted 12 submissions in UFC bantamweight competition, the most of any fighter in divisional history. He attempts 1.7 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting, also the highest rate in 135-pound history.

Caceres’ submission of Sergio Pettis at the 4:39 mark of Round 3 at UFC on FOX 10 marked the second latest ever in a three-round UFC bantamweight fight. Only Caraway’s tap-out of Johnny Bedford at 4:44 of Round 3 at UFC 159 occurred later in a fight.

Caceres’ submission of Pettis was also the second latest rear-naked-choke finish ever in a three round UFC fight, preceding Forrest Griffin’s submission of Mauricio Rua at UFC 76 by just six seconds.

Caceres lands significant strikes at a 53.2 percent accuracy rate, the highest of any fighter in UFC bantamweight history.

Caceres is one of two fighters in UFC/WEC bantamweight history to land 100 or more significant strikes in two different fights. “Bruce Leeroy” accomplished the feat against Cole Escovedo at UFC on FOX 1 and Roland Delorme at UFC 165. Dillashaw is the other to accomplish the feat.

Masanori Kanehara (23-11-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who debuts at the event, holds notable career victories against Chan Sung Jung, Kid Yamamoto and Michihiro Omigawa.

Katsunori Kikuno (22-6-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) drops to the UFC featherweight division after fighting his first two UFC bouts at lightweight.

Sam Sicilia (13-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) has alternated losses and wins in his past four UFC appearances.

Hyun Gyu Lim’s (12-4-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) past 11 professional victories are by knockout or submission.

Lim is one of two fighters in UFC history (Thiago Alves) to win two consecutive fights by knockout stemming from a knee strike. He accomplished the feat against Pascal Krauss at UFC 164 and Marcelo Guimaraes at UFC on FUEL TV 8.

Lim has been awarded a “Fight of the Night” bonus in two of three UFC appearances.

Takenori Sato’s (17-9-7 MMA, 0-0 UFC) seven draws in MMA competition are the second most of any fighter on the UFC roster behind Shunichi Shimizu (10).

Sato threw and landed zero strikes en route to a knockout loss against Erick Silva in his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 36.

Kyung Ho Kang (12-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned 11 of his 12 career victories by submission (nine) or knockout (two).

Kang has landed 10 takedowns in his first three UFC appearances.

Kazuki Tokudome (12-5-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has fought to a decision in all three of his UFC appearances.

Johnny Case (18-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has earned 16 of his 18 career victories by knockout (11) or submission (five).

Case enters the event on an eight-fight winning streak. That’s tied for the longest run of victories in his professional career.

Maximo Blanco (10-6-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by decision.

Blanco enters the event with just two victories in his past six professional fights.

Blanco owns a 70.2 percent significant strike defense rate, the fourth highest accuracy in UFC featherweight history behind Chad Mendes (77.4 percent), Jose Aldo (72.1 percent) and Max Holloway (70.3 percent).

Daniel Hooker (11-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) enters the event on a career-high six-fight winning streak.

For more on UFC Fight Night 52, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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