TUF 26 Finale pre-event facts: Inaugural title fight comes with dubious footnote

The UFC will crown its 12th divisional champion Friday when the first UFC women’s flyweight titleholder is determined at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale at Park Theatre in Las Vegas.

The UFC first announced the 125-pound weight class in May. Since then, 16 fighters have battled on “TUF 26” for the chance to compete for the inaugural championship.

That 16-woman field eventually narrowed to two as low-seeded Sijara Eubanks (2-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Nicco Montano (3-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) advanced through the tournament for the chance to compete for gold.

Check below for 20 pre-fight facts about the TUF 26 Finale, which airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

* * * *

Main event

Sijara Eubanks

Eubanks’ four pro fights are the second least for a participant in a UFC women’s title fight behind Rose Namajunas (three at TUF 20 Finale).

Eubanks has alternated wins and losses over her four-fight career.

Eubanks and Montano have suffered all four of their combined career losses by decision.

Eubanks vs. Montano is the first title fight in UFC history in which both participants are coming off losses in professional competition.

Montano competes for a UFC title just 742 days after her professional debut.

Remaining card

Roxanne Modafferi

Roxanne Modafferi (21-13 MMA, 0-1 UFC) returns to UFC competition for the first time since November 2013.

Modafferi is 6-2 since her initial UFC release.

Modafferi has earned 13 of her 21 career victories by decision.

Barb Honchak (10-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 38, is the oldest of the 22 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Honchak enters the event on a nine-fight winning streak. She hasn’t suffered an official defeat since September 2010.

Eric Spicely (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by first-round submission in a total fight time of five minutes and 12 seconds.

Gerald Meerschaert

Gerald Meerschaert (26-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned 24 of his 26 carer victories by stoppage.

Meerschaert has earned both of his UFC victories by first-round submission.

Meerschaert is one of 10 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 102.

DeAnna Bennett (8-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) enters the event on a two-fight skid. She hasn’t earned an official victory since September 2015.

Joe Soto’s (18-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Jimmie Rivera (five) and Pedro Munhoz (four).

Soto 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.

Brett Johns

Brett Johns’ (14-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) 14-fight MMA winning streak is the second longest among active UFC bantamweight fighters behind Rivera (20).

Johns’ 11 takedowns landed against Kwan Ho Kwak at UFC Fight Night 99 are the single-fight record for a UFC/WEC bantamweight bout.

Gillian Robertson (3-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC), 22, is the youngest of the 22 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

For more on The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale, 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.