The UFC’s final pay-per-view event of the year takes place Saturday with UFC 245, which goes down at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and features arguably the most loaded lineup of the year.
For just the fifth time in company history, three championship fights are on the docket at a single event, meaning the landscape of the sport has the potential to alter significantly by the end of the weekend.
Check below for all the pre-fight facts behind the UFC 245 main card, which features [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) vs. [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) for the welterweight title in the main event; [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 17-4 UFC) vs. [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the featherweight strap in the co-main event; and an [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] (18-4 MMA, 11-1 UFC) vs. [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] (9-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) women’s bantamweight title rematch in the featured bout.
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Main event
Usman enters the event on a 14-fight winning streak. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since May 2013.
Usman is one of four fighters in UFC history to start 10-0 with the promotion. Anderson Silva, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Royce Gracie also accomplished the feat.
Usman is the only welterweight in history to start his UFC career with 10 consecutive victories.
Usman’s 10-fight UFC winning streak is the third longest active streak in the company behind Nurmagomedov (12) and Tony Ferguson (12).
Usman’s 10-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Usman’s 10-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the second longest in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (12).
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Usman has earned eight of his 10 UFC victories by decision.
Usman absorbs just 1.6 significant strikes per minute in UFC welterweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Usman outlanded Tyron Woodley by a margin of 336-60 (+275) in total strikes at UFC 235, the record for a UFC championship fight.
Usman landed 192 body strikes at UFC 235, the single-fight UFC record.
Usman has completed 42 takedowns in his 10 UFC appearances.
Usman has defend 100 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC competition, which includes 17 total.
Usman’s 12 takedowns landed against Rafael dos Anjos at the TUF 28 Finale are tied for second most in a single UFC welterweight fight. Luigi Fioravanti holds the record with 13 at UFC 82.
Covington is one of three interim UFC welterweight champions in company history. St-Pierre and Carlos Condit also accomplished the feat.
Covington’s seven-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is tied with Santiago Ponzinibbio for the third longest active streak in the division behind Usman (10) and Leon Edwards (eight).
Covington attempted 541 total strikes against Robbie Lawler at UFC on ESPN 5, the single-fight UFC record.
Covington attempted 515 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 5, the single-fight UFC record.
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Covington has landed 58 takedowns combined in his 11 UFC appearances.
Covington’s 58 takedowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are most among active fighters in the weight class.
Covington lands 5.69 takedowns per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC welterweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Covington’s 12 takedowns landed at UFC on FOX 22 are tied for the second most in a single UFC welterweight fight. Fioravanti holds the record with 13 at UFC 82.
Co-main event
Holloway owns or is on the verge of owning several key UFC records, which can be viewed in his complete career stat sheet.
Volanovski enters the event on a 17-fight winning streak. He hasn’t suffered a defeat since May 2013.
Volkanovski’s five-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is the fourth longest active streak in the division Holloway (13), Zabit Magomedsharipov (six) and Arnold Allen (six).
Volkanovski has outlanded his seven UFC opponents by a 493-167 margin in total strikes. His strike differential of +3.36 per minute is the highest in UFC featherweight history.
Volkanovski lands 58.2 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Volkanovski has landed two or more takedowns against five of his six UFC opponents.
Featured bout
Nunes is one of four simultaneous two-division champions in UFC history. Daniel Cormier, Conor McGregor and Henry Cejudo also accomplished the feat.
Nunes is one of seven fighters in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes. Cormier, McGregor, Cejudo, St-Pierre, B.J. Penn and Randy Couture also accomplished the feat.
Nunes’ four consecutive UFC title defenses are most among current champions.
Nunes’ six victories in women’s UFC title fights are tied with Ronda Rousey and Joanna Jedrzejczyk for most in company history.
Nunes has defeated six fighters who once held an undisputed UFC belt, tied with Jon Jones for the most of any active fighter in the organization.
Nunes competes in her 12th UFC women’s bantamweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Nunes’ 11 victories in UFC competition are tied with Jessica Andrade for most for any female in company history.
Nunes’ 10 victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Nunes’ nine-fight UFC winning streak in women’s competition is the longest in company history.
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Nunes’ eight-fight UFC winning streak at women’s bantamweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Nunes has earned 16 of her 18 career victories by stoppage. That includes nine of her 11 UFC wins.
Nunes’ eight stoppage victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Nunes’ seven first-round finishes in UFC/Strikeforce women’s bantamweight competition are second most in combined divisional history behind Rousey (seven).
Nunes’ six knockout victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Nunes’ three knockdowns landed in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Nunes’ 14-second knockout of Julia Budd at Strikeforce Challenger 13 is the fastest knockout in UFC/Strikeforce women’s history.
Nunes’ victory at the 2:36 mark of Round 5 at UFC 224 marked the second latest stoppage in a women’s UFC title fight – behind only Miesha Tate’s win at the 3:30 mark of Round 5 vs. Holly Holm at UFC 196.
Nunes’ four fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s bantamweight fights are second most in divisional history behind Rousey (seven).
De Randamie was the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight champion. She accomplished the feat at UFC 208 in February 2017.
De Randamie is one of six European-born champions in UFC history. McGregor, Jedrzejczyk, Andrei Arlovski, Michael Bisping and Bas Rutten also accomplished the feat.
De Randamie can become the eighth fighter in UFC history to win titles in multiple weight classes. She could join Nunes as the only females to accomplish the feat.
De Randamie competes for the second time in 2019, marking multi-fight appearances inside a calendar year for the first time since 2013.
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De Randamie is 2-0 since she returned to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in September 2017.
De Randamie’s four-fight UFC winning streak at women’s bantamweight is tied with Ketlen Vieira for the second longest active streak in the division behind Nunes (eight).
De Randamie’s three knockout victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Nunes (six).
De Randamie’s 16-second knockout of Aspen Ladd at UFC on ESPN+ 16 is tied with Rousey’s finish at UFC 175 for the fastest knockout in women’s UFC history.
De Randamie defends 88 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC women’s bantamweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Irene Aldana (93.5 percent).
Remaining main card
[autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] (22-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is a former WSOF (now PFL) bantamweight champion. He defended his title a record six times.
Moraes is 17-2 in his past 19 fights dating back to December 2011. The only defeats in that stretch came against Raphael Assuncao, a loss he avenged, and Cejudo.
[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) drops to the bantamweight division for the first time after spending his entire career at featherweight.
Aldo is 3-4 in his past seven fights after going undefeated for more than a decade.
Aldo is the only two-time UFC featherweight titleholder in history and one of eight overall in company history to have two reigns in a single weight class.
Aldo’s 18 UFC/WEC featherweight victories are the most in combined divisional history.
Aldo’s 15-fight UFC/WEC winning streak before losing to McGregor at UFC 194 is the second longest in the combined history of the two organizations behind Anderson Silva (16).
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Aldo’s 11 stoppage victories in UFC/WEC featherweight competition are the most in combined divisional history.
Aldo’s 11 knockout victories in UFC/WEC featherweight competition are most in combined divisional history.
Aldo defends 91 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the highest rate in combined divisional history.
Aldo’s nine fight-night bonuses for UFC/WEC featherweight bouts are second most in combined divisional history behind Cub Swanson (11).
[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag]’s (13-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is tied with Marlon Vera for the longest active streak in the division.
[autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] (35-10 MMA, 11-6 UFC), 40, is the oldest of the 26 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Faber is the only UFC Hall of Fame fighter to earn an octagon victory after being inducted. He accomplished the feat after coming out of retirement to win at UFC on ESPN+ 13.
Faber is the only fighter in UFC history to go 0-4 in title fights.
Faber competes in his 17th UFC bantamweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Faber’s total fight time of 3:29:50 in UFC bantamweight competition is the most in divisional history.
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Faber’s 11 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Assuncao for second most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (12).
Faber’s 12 victories in UFC/WEC bantamweight competition are tied with Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz for most in combined divisional history.
Faber’s seven stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (eight).
Faber’s 12 submission victories in UFC/WEC/Strikeforce/PRIDE competition are tied for third most in the combined company history behind Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (13) and Charles Oliveira (13).
Faber’s six submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Faber’s 26 takedowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are the second most in divisional history behind Merab Dvalishvili (27).
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
