Bellator 184 pre-event facts: Eduardo Dantas can take lead in championship-fight wins

Bellator returns to one of its familiar locations on Friday with Bellator 184, which takes place at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla., with a Spike-televised main card.

A bantamweight title fight headlines the four-bout card. Reigning champion Eduardo Dantas (20-4 MMA, 10-1 BMMA) attempts to defend his title for a second straight time when he meets challenger Darrion Caldwell (10-1 MMA, 7-1 BMMA), who competes in his first Bellator title bout.

For more on the numbers behind the 135-pound title fight, as well as the other bouts scheduled for the main card, check out 20 pre-event facts about Bellator 184.

* * * *

Main event

Dantas competes in his 12th Bellator bantamweight bout, the second most appearances in divisional history behind Joe Warren (13).

Dantas’ 10 victories in Bellator bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Dantas’ four-fight Bellator winning streak in bantamweight competition is the longest active streak in the division.

Dantas competes in his seventh Bellator title fight, tied with Pat Curran for the second most in company history behind fellow ex-champ Michael Chandler (nine).

Dantas’ five championship-fight victories in Bellator competition are tied with Chandler and former longtime titleholder Ben Askren for most in company history.

Dantas is one of six fighters in Bellator history to become a two-time champion in a single weight class.

Dantas has earned his past four victories by decision, the longest stretch of his career without a stoppage.

Darrion Caldwell

Caldwell returns to competition for the first time since Dec. 3, 2016. The 307-day layoff is the longest of his more than five-year career.

Caldwell is 4-1 since he dropped to the Bellator bantamweight division in May 2015.

Caldwell has earned all four of his Bellator stoppage victories by submission.

Co-main event

Daniel Straus (24-7 MMA, 11-4 BMMA) is one of six fighters in Bellator history to become a two-time champion in a single weight class.

Straus competes in his 15th Bellator featherweight bout, the second most appearances in divisional history behind Patricio Freire (17).

Straus’ 10 victories in Bellator featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Freire (14).

Straus has suffered six of his seven career losses by stoppage.

Emmanuel Sanchez (15-3 MMA, 7-2 BMMA) has earned nine of his 15 career victories by decision. That includes six of his seven Bellator wins.

Remaining main card

Pat Curran (22-7 MMA, 12-4 BMMA) returns to competition for the first time since May 20, 2016. The 504-day layoff is the longest of his more than nine-year career.

Curran is 11-3 since he dropped to the Bellator featherweight division in June 2011.

Curran’s nine victories in Bellator featherweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Freire (14) and Straus (10).

Curran has suffered six of his seven career losses by decisions. That includes all four of his Bellator defeats.

John Teixeira

John Teixeira (21-2-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) has earned all four of his Bellator victories by decision. Three of those wins came by split decision.

Joe Taimanglo (23-7-1 MMA, 6-3 BMMA) is 4-2 since he dropped to the Bellator bantamweight division in April 2014.

For more on Bellator 184, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.