UFC on FOX 26 pre-event facts: Winnipeg return loaded with big-time hitters

The UFC’s final network-televised event of 2017 is set for Saturday. UFC on FOX 26 takes place at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with a main card on FOX following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

A welterweight title-eliminator headlines the promotion’s return to Winnipeg after more than four years. Former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler (28-11 MMA, 13-5 UFC) meets former lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos (27-9 MMA, 16-7 UFC) in a crucial matchup for the 170-pound weight class.

Several other key bouts are slated for the UFC’s 25th event in Canada. For more on the numbers behind the fights, check below for 60 pre-event facts about UFC on FOX 26.

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Main event

Robbie Lawler

Lawler is 9-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2013.

Lawler became the first fighter in UFC history to force a belt to change hands by split decision when he defeated Johny Hendricks at UFC 181 in December 2014.

Lawler is one of two fighters in UFC history to win two title fights by split decision. Benson Henderson has also accomplished the feat.

Lawler’s six knockout victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Matt Brown (nine), Thiago Alves (eight) and Matt Hughes (seven).

Lawler’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Alves (13) and Jake Ellenberger (11).

Robbie Lawler

Lawler has absorbed 781 significant strikes in UFC competition since Jan. 1, 2013, the most of any fighter in the company since that date.

Lawler’s 539 significant strikes absorbed in UFC title fights are the most history.

Lawler’s significant strike disadvantage of -82 against Carlos Condit at UFC 195 marked the largest disparity in UFC history for a fighter who won a decision.

Lawler and Hendricks attempted 728 significant strikes at UFC 171, the second most in a single UFC bout behind Cole Miller and Nam Phan (788 at UFC on FOX 4).

Lawler completes 76.2 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC competition, the highest accuracy rate in company history.

Rafael dos Anjos

Dos Anjos competes in his sixth UFC main event. He’s 3-2 in his previous five headliners.

Dos Anjos is 2-0 since he moved up to the UFC welterweight division in June.

Dos Anjos is the only Brazilian lightweight champion in UFC history.

Dos Anjos became just the second fighter in history to challenge for a UFC title and win a 50-45 decision on all three judges’ scorecards when he beat Anthony Pettis at UFC 185. Randy Couture also accomplished the feat against Tim Sylvia at UFC 68.

Dos Anjos’ 66-second victory over Cerrone at UFC on FOX 17 marked the fastest stoppage in UFC lightweight title-fight history.

Co-main event

Ricardo Lamas

Ricardo Lamas (18-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is 9-3 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in June 2011.

Lamas’ six stoppage victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind champ Max Holloway (nine).

Lamas’ three submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Charles Oliveira (six) and Chas Skelly (four).

Josh Emmett

Josh Emmett (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) was successful in his UFC featherweight debut when he defeated Felipe Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118 in October.

Emmett has earned all three of his UFC victories by decision.

Emmett’s four knockdowns of Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118 are tied for third most in a UFC fight. Only Jeremy Stephens (five) at UFC 215 and Forrest Petz (five) at UFC Fight Night 6 have scored more knockdowns in a fight.

Emmett is the only fighter in UFC history to land four knockdowns in a single round. He accomplished the feat against Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118.

Remaining main card

Santiago Ponzinibbio

Santiago Ponzinibbio’s (25-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak in welterweight competition is tied with Colby Covington for the second longest active streak in the division behind Kamaru Usman (six).

Ponzinibbio has earned 20 of his 25 career victories by stoppage. He’s earned 16 of those wins in Round 1.

Ponzinibbio’s four first-round knockout victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Anthony Johnson (five).

Ponzinibbio has landed 91 percent of his strikes in UFC competition from a distance, the largest proportion in welterweight history.

Mike Perry

Mike Perry (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by knockout. He’s earned seven of those wins in Round 1.

Perry has landed seven knockdowns in five UFC appearances.

Perry averages 2.58 knockdowns per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC competition, the third-highest rate in company history.

Glover Teixeira (26-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) is 4-4 in his past eight UFC appearances.

Teixeira’s nine victories since 2012 in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied with Ryan Bader for the most in the division.

Glover Teixeira

Teixeira’s seven stoppage victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Jon Jones (nine), Chuck Liddell (nine) and Ovince Saint Preux (eight).

Teixeira’s three submission victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are fourth for third most in divisional history behind Jones (five), Saint Preux (four) and Renato Sobral (four).

Teixeira completes 51.4 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the second highest rate in divisional history behind Lyoto Machida (65 percent).

Teixeira has landed 86.8 percent of his significant strikes in UFC light-heavyweight competition to his opponent’s head, the largest proportion among active fighters in the division.

Misha Cirkunov (13-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned 11 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. That includes all four of his UFC wins.

Cirkunov’s three submission victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Jones (five), Saint Preux (four) and Sobral (four).

Preliminary card

Jan Blachowicz

Jan Blachowicz (20-7 MMA, 3-4 UFC) is one of two light heavyweights in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a body kick. He accomplished the feat against Ilir Latifi at UFC Fight Night 53.

Jared Cannonier (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is 2-1 since he dropped to the UFC light-heavyweight division in December 2016.

Cannonier has earned eight of his 10 career victories by stoppage.

Darren Stewart (7-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) competes in his second UFC bout in a 35-day span. He lost to Karl Roberson at UFC Fight Night 120 in November.

Stewart is winless in his past three fights after starting his career with seven straight wins.

Galore Bofando (5-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is one of nine fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a slam. He accomplished the feat against Charlie Ward at UFC Fight Night 113.

Tim Elliott

Tim Elliott (14-8-1 MMA, 3-6 UFC) is 1-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in December 2016.

Elliott has alternated wins and losses in his past four fights. He suffered a defeat to Ben Nguyen in his most recent bout, at UFC Fight Night 110.

Elliott’s 35 takedowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (57).

Elliott lands 64.8 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Abel Trujillo (15-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) was taken down a UFC record 21 times in his unanimous-decision loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 160.

John Makdessi

John Makdessi (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) is one of four fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back fist. He accomplished the feat against Kyle Watson at UFC 129.

Makdessi lands 51.4 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Olivier Aubin-Mercier (56.5 percent).

Makdessi defends 72.4 percent of opponent significant strike attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Oluwale Bamgbose (6-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by first-round knockout.

Jordan Mein (29-12 MMA, 3-4 UFC) is 0-2 since he returned from retirement in December 2016.

Mein enters the event on a three-fight losing skid. He hasn’t earned a victory since August 2014.

Erick Silva

Erick Silva (19-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) has earned all seven of his UFC victories by stoppage.

Silva’s six first-round stoppage victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Josh Koscheck for second most in divisional history behind Matt Hughes (seven).

Silva’s five submission victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Hughes and Gunnar Nelson for second most in divisional history behind Chris Lytle (six).

Silva landed all 18 significant strikes thrown in his 52-second knockout of Takenori Sato at UFC Fight Night 36. That’s the most in UFC history for a fighter who didn’t miss a strike.

Silva is the only fighter in UFC history to have three fights with the organization without absorbing a single strike.

Silva has been awarded seven fight-night bonuses for UFC welterweight bouts, tied with Carlos Condit for second most in divisional history behind Lytle (10).

Nordine Taleb (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) lands 53 percent of all significant strike attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the second highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Matt Brown (54 percent).

Taleb defends 68.2 percent of all opponent significant strikes in UFC welterweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.

For more on UFC on FOX 26, 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.