UFC Fight Night 98 pre-fight facts: Tony Ferguson can become first lightweight to win 9-straight

The UFC’s four-week break from live events comes to an end on Saturday when UFC Fight Night 98 takes place at Mexico City Arena in Mexico with an FS1-televised fight card that follows early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

A crucial lightweight contender showcase tops the event. Former champion Rafael dos Anjos (25-8 MMA, 14-6 UFC), the No. 3 fighter in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, looks to rebound from his title-fight loss to Eddie Alvarez earlier this year against No. 4-ranked Tony Ferguson (21-3 MMA, 11-1 UFC), who brings an eight-fight UFC winning streak into the event.

The organization’s fourth venture into Mexico features much more than just an important headliner, though. There are several other matchups of significance, as well. For more, check out 50 pre-fight facts about UFC Fight Night 98.

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Main event

Rafael dos Anjos

Dos Anjos competes in his 21st UFC lightweight bout, the fourth most appearances in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (25), Jim Miller (24) and Joe Lauzon (22).

Dos Anjos’ 14 victories in UFC lightweight competition are fourth most in divisional history behind Tibau (16), Miller (16) and Donald Cerrone (15).

Dos Anjos became just the second fighter in history to challenge for a UFC title and win a 50-45 decision on all three judges’ scorecards when he beat Anthony Pettis at UFC 185. Randy Couture also accomplished the feat against Tim Sylvia at UFC 68.

Dos Anjos’ 66-second victory over Cerrone at UFC on FOX 17 marked the fastest stoppage in UFC lightweight title-fight history.

Ferguson is 14-1 in his past 15 fights. The lone defeat in that stretch came to Michael Johnson at UFC on FOX 3 in May 2012.

Ferguson’s 11-1 record after 12 UFC appearances is the best of any fighter to come from “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.

Ferguson’s eight-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is the longest active streak in the division.

Ferguson’s eight-fight winning streak in UFC competition is the fourth longest active streak in the company behind Jon Jones (13), Demetrious Johnson (10) and Max Holloway (nine).

Ferguson has earned 17 of his 21 career victories by stoppage. He has finished his opponent in eight of his 11 UFC victories.

Ferguson’s eight stoppage victories since 2011 in UFC competition are tied for second most in the company behind Donald Cerrone (12).

Ferguson’s three D’arce-choke submission victories in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Ferguson has been awarded a fight-night bonus in each of his past four UFC appearances.

Co-main event

Diego Sanchez

Diego Sanchez (26-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) is the only active UFC fighter who was a cast member on “The Ultimate Fighter 1.”

Sanchez is one of two fighters in UFC history to compete in four different weight classes. Kenny Florian also accomplished the feat.

Sanchez’s total fight time of 5:09:23 over his 24-fight UFC career is the most of any non-champion in company history.

Sanchez is 2-4 in his past six UFC appearances.

Sanchez has earned his past seven UFC victories by decision. He hasn’t finished an opponent since Luigi Fioravanti at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale in June 2008.

Sanchez has fought to a decision 17 times in UFC competition, the most in company history.

Sanchez has absorbed 1,087 total head strikes in his UFC career, the second most among active fighters behind B.J. Penn (1,249) on the roster and third most overall in company history behind Penn and Tito Ortiz (1,167).

Sanchez has earned six “Fight of the Night” bonuses in UFC competition, tied for fourth most in company history behind Nate Diaz (eight), Frankie Edgar (seven) and Lauzon (seven).

Remaining main card

Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Lamas (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is 7-3 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in June 2011.

Lamas is 7-1 in UFC/WEC competition when he completes at least one takedown.

Charles Oliveira (21-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) competes in his 12th UFC featherweight bout, tied for the third most appearances in divisional history behind Holloway (14) and Darren Elkins (13).

Oliveira is 7-4 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in January 2012.

Oliveira has earned eight of his nine UFC victories by submission.

Oliveira’s eight submission victories in UFC competition are tied with Frank Mir for fourth most in company history behind Royce Gracie (10), Diaz (nine) and Demian Maia (nine).

Oliveira’s six submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Charles Oliveira

Oliveira’s six stoppage victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied with Holloway and Conor McGregor for most in divisional history.

Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to start his career by winning with six different submission techniques. Ken Shamrock also accomplished the feat.

Oliveira is the only fighter in UFC history to earn a calf-slicer submission victory. He accomplished the feat against Eric Wisely at UFC on FOX 2.

Oliveira lands 51.6 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the second highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Jimy Hettes (57.3 percent).

Oliveira has earned nine fight-night bonuses in his UFC career. His six fight-night bonuses for UFC featherweight bouts are tied with McGregor for most in divisional history.

Claudio Puelles (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 20, is the youngest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Rashid Magomedov (19-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) enters the event on an 12-fight winning streak. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since April 2010.

Magomedov’s four-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Ferguson (eight), Francisco Trinaldo (seven) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (six).

Magomedov has earned six of his past seven MMA victories by decision. That includes three of his four wins under the UFC banner.

Magomedov’s knockout victory of Elias Silverio at the 4:57 mark of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 58 marked the third latest finish in a three-round UFC fight.

Preliminary card

Erik Perez and Francisco Rivera

Erik Perez (16-6 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is the only bantamweight in UFC history to earn three consecutive first-round stoppage victories.

Perez’s 17-second knockout of Ken Stone at UFC 150 stands as the fastest knockout in UFC/WEC combined bantamweight history.

Perez lands 55.2 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC bantamweight competition, the second highest rate in divisional history behind Brad Pickett (60 percent).

Felipe Arantes (18-7-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) is 2-0 since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in August 2015.

Arantes has earned both of his UFC bantamweight victories by armbar submission.

Joe Soto (16-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) is one of five fighters in UFC history to challenge for a title in his promotional debut. Gilbert Melendez, Liz Carmouche, Frank Trigg and Hayoto Sakurai are the others.

Erick Montano (7-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) competes in his second UFC bout in a 49-day stretch. He suffered a third-round submission loss to Randy Brown at UFC Fight Night 94.

Douglas de Andrade (23-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Feb. 22, 2015. The 622-day layoff is the longest of his more than nine-year career.

De Andrade competes in just his second bout since February 2014.

Sam Alvey (28-8 MMA, 5-3 UFC) makes his fourth UFC appearance of 2016, tied with Ross Pearson for the most among active fighters.

Alvey has earned all five of his UFC victories by stoppage.

Alvey’s five stoppage victories since 2014 in UFC middleweight competition are tied with Luke Rockhold for most in the division.

Polo Reyes (6-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage.

Jason Novelli (11-2-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 37, is the oldest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

For more on UFC Fight Night 98, check out 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.