Bellator 198 pre-event facts: Frank Mir brings decorated UFC resume to Bellator

The next major Bellator event takes place Saturday with Bellator 198 going down at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., near Chicago. It airs on Paramount following prelims on MMAjunkie.

The third leg of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix opening round takes center stage in the main event. In a matchup long restricted to nothing more than fantasy, former PRIDE champ Fedor Emelianenko (36-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) will finally take on former UFC champ Frank Mir (18-11 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in a tournament quarterfinal bout.

The clash of legendary heavyweights is not all the card has to offer, though. For more, check below for 30 pre-event facts about Bellator 198.

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Main event

Emelianenko, 41, is the oldest of the 10 scheduled main-card fighters.

Emelianenko is 2-1 since he returned from retirement in December 2015.

Emelianenko is 5-1 in his past six fights dating back to November 2011.

Emelianenko fights a former UFC champion for the 10th time in his career. He’s 7-1 (with one no-contest) in his previous nine bouts.

Emelianenko has suffered all five of his career losses by stoppage.

Mir makes his Bellator debut following a 27-fight UFC tenure which dates back to November 2011. He went 16-11 inside the octagon.

Mir competes in a non-UFC bout for the first time since his second pro fight in August 2001.

Mir returns to competition for the first time since March 19, 2016. The 770-day layoff is the longest of his nearly 17-year career.

Mir enters the event on a two-fight losing skid. He’s 2-6 in his past fights overall and hasn’t earned a victory since July 2015.

Mir’s 16 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Andrei Arlovski for most in divisional history.

Mir’s 13 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.

Mir’s 10 first-round stoppage victories in UFC competition are the most in modern history.

Mir’s eight submission victories in UFC heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.

Mir eight first-round submission victories in UFC competition are the most in company history. Matt Hughes is second in the category with just five submissions in the opening frame.

Mir is one of four fighters in UFC history to earn more than one submission victory in less than one minute each. He’s accomplished the feat three times and is owner of the two quickest submissions in heavyweight history.

Mir is the only fighter UFC history to earn three technical submission victories.

Mir has attempted 21 submissions in UFC heavyweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Mir’s three knockdowns of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 are tied for the most in a single UFC heavyweight fight.

Co-main event

Emmanuel Sanchez.

Emmanuel Sanchez’s (16-3 MMA, 8-2 BMMA) three-fight Bellator winning streak in featherweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind A.J. McKee (11) and Daniel Weichel (four).

Sanchez has earned six of his eight Bellator victories by decision.

Sam Sicilia (16-8 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) was successful in his promotional debut at Bellator 189 in December following a 12-fight UFC stint.

Sicilia will attempt to win consecutive fights for the first time since 2015.

Remaining main card

Rafael Lovato Jr. (7-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) has earned six of his seven career victories by stoppage.

Lovato’s 13-second knockout of Charles Hackmann at Bellator 174 stands as the sixth fastest knockout in company history.

Gerald Harris (25-5 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) makes his Bellator debut as an injury replacement on just four days’ notice.

Harris is 8-1 in his past nine fights dating back to February 2011.

Neiman Gracie.

Neiman Gracie (7-0 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) is 4-0 since he dropped to the welterweight division in February 2015.

Gracie has earned six of his seven career victories by stoppage. All of those wins are by submission.

Javier Torres (10-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has never lost a fight by submission.

Dillon Danis (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), 24, is the youngest of the 10 scheduled main-card fighters.

Kyle Walker (2-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) makes his Bellator debut on a two-fight losing skid. He hasn’t earned a victory since October 2013.

For more on Bellator 198, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.