UFC Fight Night 125 pre-event facts: Valentina Shevchenko makes anticipated flyweight debut

(This story first was published Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018.)

UFC Fight Night 125 marks the UFC’s debut in Belem, Para, Brazil. The event takes place at Mangueirinho Gymnasium and airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

A matchup of middleweights headlines the card. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (22-8 MMA, 14-8 UFC) will continue to search for his first victory in more than three years when he meets unbeaten up-and-comer Eryk Anders (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a bout scheduled for five rounds.

For more on the numbers behind the UFC’s 31st fight card in Brazil, check below for 45 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 125.

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Main event

Lyoto Machida

Machida, 39, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Machida competes in his 13th UFC main event. He’s 5-7 in previous headliners.

Machida’s 13 UFC main-event appearances are tied for fifth most in company history behind Anderson Silva (19), Randy Couture (18), Tito Ortiz (16) and Jon Jones (14).

Machida’s three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since December 2014.

Machida is 3-4 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in October 2013.

Machida is the only fighter in UFC history to absorb zero strikes in two main events. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 58 and UFC Fight Night 31.

Machida has earned nine career victories against fighters who once held a UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce or PRIDE title.

Machida’s 13 knockdowns landed in UFC competition are tied for fifth most in company history behind Silva (17), Jeremy Stephens (17), Chuck Liddell (14) and Donald Cerrone (14).

Eryk Anders

Anders competes in his second UFC bout in a 56-day stretch. He defeated Markus Perez at UFC Fight Night 123 in December.

Anders competes in his first UFC headliner after just two appearances with the organization.

Anders has earned seven of his 10 career victories by stoppage.

Co-main event

Valentina Shevchenko

Valentina Shevchenko (14-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) drop the UFC flyweight division after making her previous five octagon appearances at bantamweight.

Shevchenko has suffered both of her UFC losses to bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes.

Shevchenko has completed at least one takedown against four of her five UFC opponents.

Remaining main card

Michel Prazeres’ (23-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak in lightweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Tony Ferguson (10) and Khabib Nurmagomedov (eight).

Michel Prazeres

Prazeres is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two north-south choke submissions. He has two of the five such finishes overall in UFC history.

Prazeres has landed 35 takedowns in his nine UFC appearances. He’s scored at least one takedown against all of his UFC opponents.

Desmond Green (20-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned 14 of his 20 career victories by decision.

Marcelo Golm (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all six of his career victories by first-round stoppage in a total fight time of 10:52.

Timothy Johnson (11-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his six-fight UFC career. He was defeated in his most recent bout at UFC on FOX 25.

Douglas Silva de Andrade (24-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is 2-2 in his past four fights after starting his career on a 23-fight unbeaten streak.

De Andrade is 2-1 since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in February 2015.

De Andrade is one of four fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from a spinning backfist. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 98.

Marlon Vera (10-4-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has suffered all of his career losses by decision.

Thiago “Marreta” Santos

Thiago “Marreta” Santos’ (16-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak in middleweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind champ Robert Whittaker (seven) and Antonio Carlos Junior (four).

Santos has earned seven of his eight UFC victories by knockout.

Santos’ seven knockout victories in UFC middleweight fights are tied for second most in divisional history behind Silva (eight).

Santos’ seven knockouts since 2014 in UFC competition are tied for second most in the company behind Derrick Lewis (eight).

Anthony Smith’s (27-13 MMA, 4-2 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak in middleweight competition is tied for the third longest active streak in the division behind Whittaker (seven) and Carlos Junior (four).

Smith is 4-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2016. He’s 11-2 since his original release from the organization in June 2013.

Smith has earned 25 of his 28 career victories by stoppage.

Preliminary card

Tim Means

Tim Means (27-9-1 MMA, 9-6 UFC) is 7-4 (with one no-contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2014.

Means has earned 22 of his 27 career victories by stoppage.

Means’ four stoppage victories since 2015 in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Cerrone, Mike Perry and Li Jingliang for second most in the division behind Vicente Luque (five).

Sergio Moraes (12-3-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) is one of six fighters in UFC history to earn a mounted-triangle-choke submission. He accomplished the feat at UFC 163.

Iuri Alcantara

Iuri Alcantara (34-9 MMA, 9-6 UFC) competes in his 14th UFC bantamweight fight, tied with T.J. Dillashaw and Takeya Mizugaki for second most appearances in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (15).

Alcantara competes in his second UFC bout in a 56-day stretch. He lost Alejandro Perez at UFC Fight Night 123 in December.

Alcantara is 7-5 (with one no-contest) since he dropped to the UFC bantamweight division in January 2013.

Alcantara defeated Luke Sanders at UFC 209 despite a –107 total strike differential (134 to 27), the second-largest deficit for a winner by stoppage in UFC history behind A. Silva’s comeback against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 (-256).

Joe Soto (18-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) 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.

Joseph Morales (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

For more on UFC Fight Night 125, 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.