UFC 209 pre-event facts: Champ Tyron Woodley, Stephen Thompson and a history of KOs

(This story was originally published on Feb. 23, 2017. The Khabib Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson has since been canceled.)

The UFC’s second pay-per-view event in a 21-day period takes place Saturday with UFC 209 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The 41st championship doubleheader in company history tops the pay-per-view main card, which follows prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass. Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (16-3-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) and challenger Stephen Thompson (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) look to settle the score once and for all in the main event when they clash in a rematch of a rare title-fight draw from UFC 205 in November.

In the co-headliner, one of the most anticipated showdowns in recent memory finally takes place when Khabib Nurmagomedov (24-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Tony Ferguson (22-3 MMA, 13-1 UFC) bring their red-hot records into a grudge match that will crown an interim UFC lightweight champion.

While two title fights would ordinarily be enough to carry a card, the organization has stacked the deck with several other bouts of significance. For more on the numbers behind all those matchups, check out 65 pre-fight facts about UFC 209.

* * * *

Main event

Stephen Thompson and Tyron Woodley

Woodley vs. Thompson marks a rematch of one of just three title-fight draws in UFC history. They fought to a majority draw at UFC 205 in November.

Woodley has earned five of his six UFC victories by stoppage due to strikes.

Woodley’s four first-round knockout victories in UFC competition since 2013 are tied with Stipe Miocic for most in the company.

Woodley defends 68.8 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class and third highest overall in divisional history.

Woodley has defended 95.2 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history and second highest overall in UFC history behind Renan Barao (100 percent).

Stephen Thompson and Tyron Woodley

Thompson’s five knockout victories since 2012 in UFC welterweight competition are second most in the division behind Matt Brown (six).

Thompson’s eight knockdowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Thiago Alves (11), Jake Ellenberger (11) and Robbie Lawler (nine).

Thompson’s five fight-night bonuses since 2012 for UFC welterweight bouts are tied for second most in the division behind Erick Silva (seven).

Co-main event

Khabib Nurmagomedov

Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson marks the first interim title fight in UFC lightweight history.

Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson is the first matchup in history between two fighters who are both on UFC winning streaks of eight fights or more.

Nurmagomedov’s 24-fight winning streak is the longest among active UFC fighters.

Nurmagomedov’s seven-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is tied with Francisco Trinaldo for the second longest active streak in the division behind Ferguson (nine).

Nurmagomedov’s eight-fight winning streak in UFC competition is the sixth longest active streak in the company behind Jon Jones (13), Georges St-Pierre (12), Demetrious Johnson (11), Max Holloway (10) and Ferguson (nine).

Nurmagomedov is one of eight fighters in UFC history to earn eight consecutive octagon victories to start a career with the organization.

Nurmagomedov’s 21 takedowns landed against Abel Trujillo at UFC 160 are a single-fight UFC record.

Nurmagomedov’s takedown rate of 6.14 per 15 minutes of fighting is fourth highest in UFC history behind Patrick Cummins (6.87), Colby Covington (6.79) and Jake O’Brien (6.44).

Nurmagomedov defends 70.3 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind John Makdessi (72.4 percent).

Nurmagomedov absorbs just 1.58 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, the second best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Rustam Khabilov (1.53).

Nurmagomedov’s 88 significant ground strikes landed against Michael Johnson at UFC 205 are the third most in a single UFC fight.

Tony Ferguson

Ferguson is 15-1 in his past 16 fights. The lone defeat in that stretch came to Johnson at UFC on FOX 3 in May 2012.

Ferguson’s 12-1 record after 13 UFC appearances is the best of any fighter to come from “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.

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

Ferguson’s nine-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is the longest in divisional history.

Ferguson’s nine-fight winning streak in UFC competition is the fifth longest active streak in the company behind Jones (13), St-Pierre (12), Johnson (11) and Holloway (10).

Ferguson has earned 17 of his 22 career victories by stoppage. He has finished his opponent in eight of his 12 UFC win.

Ferguson’s eight stoppage victories since 2011 in UFC competition are tied for second most in the company behind Donald Cerrone (13).

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

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

Remaining main card

Rashad Evans

Rashad Evans (19-5-1 MMA, 14-5-1 UFC) drops to the UFC middleweight division for the first time in his career. He competed previously in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

Evans leaves the light-heavyweight division with a total fight time of 4:02:43, the most in divisional history.

Evans enters the event on the first two-fight skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since November 2013.

Evans competes in a non-main- or co-main-event bout for just the third time in 21 UFC appearances.

Evans’ 13 victories UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied with Chuck Liddell for third most in divisional history behind Jones (15) and Ryan Bader (14).

Evans’ 50 takedowns landed in UFC light-heavyweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Evans’ four split-decision victories in UFC competition are tied with John Howard and Benson Henderson for second most in company history behind Gleison Tibau (five).

Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly (12-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) defends 65.8 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the second highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Michael Bisping (66.6 percent).

Landon Vannata (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned eight of his nine career victories by stoppage.

Vannata has earned a knockdown against both of his UFC opponents.

David Teymur (5-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all of his career stoppage victories by knockout. That includes both of his UFC wins.

Teymur has earned a knockdown against both of his UFC opponents.

Alistair Overeem

Alistair Overeem (41-15 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has earned 37 of his 41 career victories by stoppage. Of his 18 career knockout wins, 12 stemmed from either a kick or knee strike.

Overeem lands 73.9 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional and overall company history.

Overeem absorbs just 2.14 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition, the third best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Derrick Lewis (1.23) and Francis Ngannou (1.53).

Overeem has been on the losing end of the third and fourth largest statistical comeback finishes in UFC heavyweight history. He out-landed Antonio Silva by 30 significant strikes before being knocked out at UFC 156 and out-landed Travis Browne by 27 significant strikes before his demise at UFC Fight Night 26.

Overeem’s 10 knockout losses in MMA competition are the most of any active member on the UFC roster.

Mark Hunt

Mark Hunt (12-10-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC), 42, is the oldest active fighter in the UFC heavyweight division. He’s also the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Hunt’s eight knockdowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for sixth most in divisional history behind Junior Dos Santos (12), Andrei Arlovski (10), Cain Velasquez (10), Roy Nelson (nine) and Matt Mitrione (nine).

Hunt has landed 86.4 percent of his significant strikes under the UFC banner to his opponent’s head, the largest proportion of head strikes in UFC heavyweight history.

Hunt’s six fight-night bonuses for UFC heavyweight bouts are tied with Nelson for third most in divisional history behind Miocic (seven) and Browne (seven).

Preliminary card card

Luis Henrique

Luis Henrique (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has earned both of his UFC victories by submission.

Henrique has completed at least one takedown against all three of his UFC opponents.

Darren Elkins (21-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) competes in his 14th UFC featherweight bout, the second most appearances in divisional history behind Holloway (15).

Elkins is 10-3 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in June 2011.

Elkins’ 10 victories in UFC featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Holloway (12).

Darren Elkins

Elkins has earned nine of his 11 UFC victories by decision.

Elkins has landed 1,340 total strikes in UFC featherweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Elkins absorbs just 1.88 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Rani Yahya (1.05).

Elkins’ 32 takedowns landed in UFC featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Dennis Bermudez (38).

Elkins’ 17 submission attempts in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Mirsad Bektic’s (11-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak in featherweight competition is the fourth longest active streak in the division behind Holloway (nine), Conor McGregor (seven) and Yair Rodriguez (six).

Iuri Alcantara

Iuri Alcantara (33-7 MMA, 8-4 UFC) is 6-3 with one no-contest since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in January 2013.

Alcantara lands 50.9 percent of his significant strikes attempts in UFC bantamweight competition, tied with Alex Caceres for the highest rate in divisional history.

Luke Sanders (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Jan. 17, 2016. The 412-day layoff is the longest of his more than six-year career.

Amanda Cooper (2-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), 25, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Cynthia Calvillo (3-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her UFC debut less than seven months after her first pro fight.

For more on UFC 209, 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.

For more on UFC 209, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.