UFC on FOX 10 preview: 60 pre-fight facts about ‘Henderson vs. Thomson’ in Chicago

The UFC on Saturday returns to network television giant FOX for the 10th time as “UFC on FOX 10: Henderson vs. Thomson” goes down from the United Center in Chicago.

It will be the third year in a row that the organization visits “The Windy City” for the first of four FOX events over the calendar year, and in the featured bout of the evening, former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson (19-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) attempts to get back on track after dropping his belt to Anthony Pettis when he faces Josh Thomson (20-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in a bout scheduled for 25 minutes.

Even though it will be the first FOX card since August 2012 without a championship fight on tap, it is still a solid event with plenty of notable matchups, including a heavyweight contenders bout in the co-main event – Gabriel Gonzaga (16-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC), who is 4-1 since returning to the UFC in late 2012, takes on the surging Stipe Miocic (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC).

The event is just days away, and with the help of FightMetric research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll, here are 60 pre-fight facts about UFC on FOX 10.

MAIN EVENT

Henderson has earned all seven of his UFC victories by decision. His last finish in MMA competition came against Donald Cerrone at WEC 48 in April 2010.

Henderson’s seven-fight UFC winning streak prior to his loss to Pettis was tied for the second longest streak in divisional history behind Gray Maynard, who once won eight fights in a row.

Henderson will compete in his sixth consecutive five-round UFC main event. However, Saturday marks his first non-title UFC headliner.

Henderson is the only one of eight main card fighters to enter the event with a loss in his last bout.

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Henderson’s 53.9 percent takedown accuracy is the fifth best rate among active UFC lightweight fighters. Ramsey Nijem (56.8 percent), Gleison Tibau (57.3 percent), Jamie Varner (62.9 percent) and B.J. Penn (66.7 percent) are all more successful takedown artists.

Henderson’s 41 takedowns landed in UFC/WEC lightweight competition rank fifth all-time in the combined history of the two organizations.

Henderson’s average fight time of 18:43 is the second longest among active UFC fighters behind Jose Aldo (19:24).

Henderson landed 124 significant strikes in his UFC on FOX 5 victory over Nate Diaz, the fifth most ever in a UFC lightweight bout.

Thomson will headline a UFC card for the first time in his five-fight career with the promotion.

Thomson was one of three fighters to hold the now-defunct Strikeforce lightweight championship. The others were Clay Guida and Gilbert Melendez.

Thomson was one of the most active strikers in Strikeforce, as he landed 791 total strikes in his 13 fights with the organization, the fourth most of any fighter.

Thomson’s 69.5 percent striking defense rate was the fifth highest in Strikeforce history.

Thomson completed 23 takedowns during his Strikeforce career, the third most in organizational history.

Thomson’s 23 submission attempts in Strikeforce were the most ever. Oppositely, “The Punk” has never been submitted in his 26-fight MMA career.

Thomson has spent more than 25 percent of his career cage time fighting Melendez.

CO-MAIN EVENT

Gonzaga will compete in his 18th UFC heavyweight fight, tying Cheick Kongo for the second most appearances in divisional history behind Frank Mir (22).

Gonzaga is on the verge of becoming the most accomplished finisher in UFC heavyweight history, as his 11 knockout/submission wins are tied with Mir for the most in divisional history.

Gonzaga hasn’t just finished his opponents inside the octagon, but throughout his entire MMA career, as all 16 of his professional victories are by knockout or submission.

Gonzaga’s 17-second knockout of Dave Herman at UFC 162 tied the record for the third fastest knockout in UFC heavyweight history.

Gonzaga doesn’t just strike, but can also take his opponents to the ground as well. “Napao” completes 48.7 percent of his takedown attempts, the highest accuracy rate among active UFC heavyweights.

Gonzaga pursues the finish when the fight hits the ground, as his 10 submission attempts in UFC competition are tied for the third most in heavyweight history behind Stefan Struve (19) and Mir (20).

Gonzaga’s average fight time of 5:08 is the shortest among active UFC heavyweights, which makes sense since he’s earned eight of his 11 octagon wins inside the first round.

Gonzaga’s 12-fight advantage in UFC experience over his opponent Miocic is the largest gap of octagon experience for any matchup on the card.

Miocic will hope to counter his opponent’s strength with precision, as he lands 51.37 percent of the significant strikes he throws, the fifth highest accuracy rate among active UFC heavyweights behind Matt Mitrione (51.99 percent), Pat Barry (52.08 percent), Fabricio Werdum (55.45 percent) and Cain Velasquez (58.12 percent).

Miocic’s striking output rate ranks among the best in the division, as he averages 5.48 strikes landed per minute of fighting, which is third only to Junior dos Santos 5.8) and Velasquez (6.21).

Miocic also carries strong defensive striking instincts inside the octagon. He successfully defends 63.9 percent of the significant strikes thrown his way, second only Mitrione (66.8 percent) in divisional history.

Miocic’s 106 significant strikes landed against Roy Nelson at UFC 161 were the fifth most ever landed in a UFC heavyweight fight. Moreover, Miocic outlanded Nelson by 83 strikes, the third biggest disparity in heavyweight history.

REMAINING MAIN CARD

Darren Elkins‘ (17-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) six UFC featherweight victories are the third most in divisional history behind Chad Mendes and Dustin Poirier, who each have seven wins.

Elkins was a solid lightweight fighter, but the drop to 145 pounds has paid off in a big way, as he is 6-1 since making his featherweight debut in June 2012.

Elkins’ is known for his wrestling, but his 10 submission attempts, which are tied with Steven Siler for the most in UFC featherweight history, show he tries to finish the fight as well.

Elkins has controlled his featherweight opponents for 29.8 percent of their cage time, the second largest proportion in divisional history behind Jimy Hettes (42.6 percent).

Elkins’ 593 total strikes landed are the most in UFC featherweight history. Of those strikes landed, 418 have been on the ground, the most in divisional history.

Jeremy Stephens (22-9 MMA, 9-8) has reinvigorated his career with a switch in weight class, as he is undefeated (2-0) since dropping to the UFC featherweight division last year.

Stephens was a power-puncher at lightweight, as his seven knockdowns landed in 155-pound competition are the third most in history.

Stephens showed his power can translate to the featherweight division at UFC Fight Night 32, as his knockout of Rony Jason at 0:40 of Round 1 was the fifth fastest in UFC/WEC featherweight history.

Stephens used a brutal head kick to end his fight with Jason which, to date, is the only knockout in UFC featherweight history to stem from a kick to the head.

Donald Cerrone (21-6 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is one of the UFC’s most consistent fight-night award winners, as “Cowboy” and/or his opponent have received a fight-night bonus in seven of his 11 UFC bouts.

Cerrone’s fight-night bonuses haven’t been exclusive to his UFC career, though. His 12 UFC/WEC fight-night bonuses are tied with Joe Lauzon and Anderson Silva for the most in the combined history of the two promotions. Cerrone has earned a total of $505,000 from those bonuses.

Fight-night bonuses are typically a result of finishing fights, and Cerrone does that with the best of them, especially on the ground. His seven submission victories in UFC/WEC lightweight competition are tied with Lauzon and Kenny Florian for the second most in divisional history. Nate Diaz leads the category with 10 submission wins.

Cerrone usually won’t fight on the ground unless he wants it there. His 87.5 percent takedown defense rate ranks second in lightweight history behind Gleison Tibau (91.8 percent).

Cerrone is one of the division’s most active strikers, as he lands 4.94 strikes per minute of fighting, the third best output rate in lightweight history behind Evan Dunham (4.97) and T.J. Grant (6.83). His 50.5 percent significant strike accuracy is the third best among active lightweights.
Cerrone’s landed 49 leg kicks landed against Vagner Rocha at UFC 131, the most ever in a three-round UFC fight.

Adriano Martins (25-6 MMA, 1-0) enters the event with victories in 12 of his past 13 MMA fights, including seven stoppages.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Alex Caceres (9-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has suffered just one loss in five fights since dropping to the UFC bantamweight division, and has shined in several striking categories while fighting at 135 pounds.

Caceres’ 366 significant strikes landed in UFC competition are the third most by any fighter in bantamweight history. His 481 total strikes landed are the third most in UFC bantamweight history, and his 59.32 percent significant strike accuracy rate is the highest in UFC bantamweight history.

Caceres’ 4.49 strikes landed per minute are the third most in 135-pound history while his 2.56 strike differential rate is the second best in UFC bantamweight history.

Caceres is the only fighter 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 again when he took on Roland Delorme at UFC 165.

Segio Pettis (10-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), 20, is the youngest fighter on the UFC roster. He is also the brother of reigning UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis.

Pettis became the seventh youngest fighter in UFC history to record an octagon victory when he defeated Will Campuzano in his debut at UFC 167.

Pettis landed 81 of his 121 significant strike attempts in his UFC debut, giving him a 67 percent striking accuracy. That accuracy percentage ranks second all-time in a UFC/WEC bantamweight fight behind T.J. Dillashaw, who landed 74.6 of his significant strike attempts against Walel Watson at UFC on FUEL TV 1 (minimum of 100 significant strike attempts).

Eddie Wineland (20-9-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC) enters the event off the first non-injury-related knockout loss of his professional career, as bantamweight champion Renan Barao stopped him with strikes at UFC 165.

Wineland’s only losses in the past four years came to Joseph Benavidez, Urijah Faber and Barao.

Wineland’s six knockdowns landed in UFC/WEC bantamweight competition are tied with Michael McDonald for most in history.

Wineland has some of the best takedown defense in not just his division’s history, but also all of UFC history. Wineland has shaken off 90 percent of all his opponent’s takedown attempts, the third best rate in UFC history only behind Tibau (91.9 percent) and Jon Jones (95.8 percent).

Yves Jabouin (19-8 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has not recorded a stoppage victory in his nine-fight UFC/WEC career. He last finished an opponent in November 2008.

All four of the fighters Jabouin has defeated under the UFC banner are no longer part of the organization’s roster.

Mike Rio (9-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) enters the event on the first two-fight losing streak of his career.

Chico Camus (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned his past five MMA victories by decision.

Hugo Viana‘s (7-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) three knockdowns of Reuben Duran at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale were the most ever in a UFC/WEC bantamweight fight.

Nikita Krylov (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 21, is the youngest fighter in the heavyweight division.

For the latest on UFC on FOX 10, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.