The UFC’s busy August stretch continues on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 32, which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.
Two heavyweights with opposing styles are set to clash in the main event. [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 14-5 UFC) brings his heavy hands back to the octagon for a clash with submission ace [autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag] (59-13-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC).
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 32.
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Main event
Lewis makes his 20th UFC heavyweight appearance since 2014, the most in the division and second most fights on the roster behind Donald Cerrone (24).
Lewis’ 14 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are fourth-most in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (18), Frank Mir (16) and Junior Dos Santos (15).
Lewis’ 10 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fifth most in divisional history behind Mir (13), Arlovski (11), Gabriel Gonzaga (11) and Stefan Struve (11).
Lewis’ 10 knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez for most in divisional history.
Lewis’ 10 knockout victories in UFC competition since 2014 are second most among active fighters in the organization behind Thiago Santos (11).
Lewis’ six knockouts stemming from ground strikes in UFC competition are tied with Randy Couture for second most in company history behind Velasquez (eight).
Lewis is the only fighter in history to have his first eight UFC bouts end in a knockout.
Lewis’ knockout of Alexander Volkov at UFC 229 despite a -82 significant strike differential marked the greatest statistical striking comeback in UFC history.
Lewis and Francis Ngannou combined for 31 total strikes landed at UFC 226, the second fewest in a three-round UFC fight that went the distance behind Jens Pulver vs. Joao Roque (23) at UFC 26 in June 2000.
Oleinik, 43, is the oldest active fighter in the UFC heavyweight division and is the oldest of all fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Oleinik was the first fighter in MMA history to earn victories in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s). Alistair Overeem also accomplished the feat.
Oleinik has earned 54 of his 59 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his eight UFC wins.
Oleinik has earned 46 of his 54 career stoppage victories by submission.
Oleinik’s six submission victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Stefan Struve for second most in divisional history behind Frank Mir (eight).
Oleinik has earned two of the three Ezekiel-choke submission victories in UFC history. He accomplished the feat at UFC 224 and UFC Fight Night 103. Remco Pardoel also won with the technique at UFC 2.
Oleinik attempts 2.21 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC heavyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Co-main event
[autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag] (19-4-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) is 3-0-1 since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in December 2017. He’s 4-0-1 in the weight class overall under the UFC banner.
Akhmedov’s five-fight UFC unbeaten streak at middleweight is tied with Paulo Costa for the second longest active streak in the division behind Israel Adesanya (eight).
[autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (14-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) returns to the middleweight division after an unsuccessful one-fight stint at light heavyweight in October 2019.
Weidman became the first male fighter in UFC history to win a championship with an undefeated record and go on to successfully defend the belt more than once when he defeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 175.
Weidman is 1-5 in his past six fights dating back to December 2015.
Weidman has out-struck his opponent in all 10 of his UFC victories.
Weidman has completed at least one takedown in all 15 of his UFC appearances.
Weidman’s 37 takedowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are tied with Thales Leites for most in divisional history.
Weidman has suffered all five of his career losses by knockout.
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Remaining card
[autotag]Darren Stewart[/autotag] (11-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) is 4-3 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in November 2017.
[autotag]Yana Kunitskaya[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is 2-1 since she returned to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in October 2018.
[autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag]’s (18-4-1 MMA, 12-4-1 UFC) 12 UFC lightweight victories since 2014 are the most in the division.
[autotag]Tim Means[/autotag] (29-12-1 MMA, 11-9 UFC) is 9-7 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2014.
[autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has landed at least one knockdown against four of his five UFC opponents.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.