The UFC makes its final Brazil stop of the year on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 22, which takes place at Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo with a 12-fight lineup set to stream entirely on ESPN+.
An important light heavyweight matchup headlines the card. [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (23-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC) will look to improve his status as a top contender when he meets [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag] (26-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC), the former Strikeforce champ who is moving up to 205 pounds for the first time with hopes of a fresh start.
For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 60 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 22.
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Main event
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Blachowicz competes in his second UFC headliner. He’s 0-1 in previous main events.
Blachowicz is 5-1 in his past six UFC appearances dating back to October 2017. The only defeat in that stretch came to Thiago Santos.
Blachowicz is one of two light heavyweights in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a body kick. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 53.
Blachowicz lands 52 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the second highest rate in divisional history behind Lyoto Machida (65 percent).
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Souza competes in the light heavyweight division for the first time in his career. He’s never fought above 194 pounds.
Souza has alternated wins and losses over his past six fights. He was defeated in his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN+ 8 in April.
Souza has earned 22 of his 26 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his nine UFC wins.
Souza’s 14 victories in UFC/Strikeforce middleweight competition are tied for third most in combined divisional history behind Michael Bisping (16) and Luke Rockhold (15).
Souza’s 12 stoppage victories in UFC/Strikeforce middleweight competition are second most in combined divisional history behind Rockhold (13).
Co-main event
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[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (26-11 MMA, 10-9 UFC) competes in his 20th UFC light heavyweight bout, tied with Ryan Bader, Rashad Evans and Ovince Saint Preux for the second most appearances in divisional history behind Jon Jones (21).
Rua’s 22 victories in UFC/PRIDE light-heavyweight competition are the most in combined divisional history.
Rua’s 18 stoppage victories in UFC/PRIDE/WEC/Strikeforce competition are fourth most in combined organizational history behind Mirko Filipovic (21), Wanderlei Silva (20) and Donald Cerrone (20).
Rua’s 17 knockout victories in UFC/PRIDE light-heavyweight competition are the most in combined divisional history.
Rua’s eight knockout victories in modern UFC light-heavyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Chuck Liddell (nine).
Rua is the only light heavyweight in UFC history to earn his first six victories with the organization by knockout.
Rua’s 14 knockdowns landed in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied with Liddell for most in divisional history.
Rua’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC light-heavyweight fights are tied with Jones for most in divisional history.
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[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) makes his second UFC appearance in a 56-day stretch. He won at UFC on ESPN+ 17 on Sept. 21.
Craig has alternated wins and losses over his past six fights. He won his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN+ 17 in September.
Craig has earned all 12 of his career victories by stoppage.
Craig’s victory at 4:59 of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 127 is the latest submission in a three-round UFC fight.
Remaining main card
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[autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (27-8 MMA, 15-8 UFC) is 6-1 since he returned to the UFC lightweight division in April 2017. He’s 8-3 (with one no contest) in the organization at 155 pounds.
Oliveira’s average fight time of 5:08 in UFC lightweight competition is the second shortest in divisional history behind Manny Gamburyan (4:45).
Oliveira’s five-fight UFC stoppage streak is tied with Marlon Vera for the longest active streak in the company.
Oliveira’s 14 stoppage victories in UFC competition are tied with Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort for second most in company history behind Cerrone (16).
Oliveira’s 13 submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Oliveira’s six submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Oliveira’s four guillotine-choke victories in UFC competition are tied with Nate Diaz for most in company history.
Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history with multiple submission victories via anaconda choke. Phil Davis also accomplished the feat.
Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn submission victories with six different techniques. Frank Mir also accomplished the feat.
Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a calf-slicer submission victory. Brett Johns also accomplished the feat.
Oliveira has been awarded 14 fight-night bonuses for UFC bouts, the fourth most in company history behind Cerrone (18), Diaz (15) and Joe Lauzon (15).
Oliveira has been awarded eight “Performance of the Night” bonuses, the most in company history.
Oliveira is the only fighter in UFC history to be awarded five or more fight-night bonuses in two separate divisions.
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[autotag]Markus Perez[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn a submission victory by anaconda choke. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
[autotag]Wellington Turman[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Preliminary card
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[autotag]James Krause[/autotag] (26-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since August 2018. He hasn’t fought more than once in a calendar year since 2015.
Krause is 3-0 in the UFC when competing at welterweight.
Krause enters the event on a five-fight UFC winning streak. He hasn’t suffered an octagon defeat since February 2016.
[autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) moves up to the featherweight division after spending his previous five UFC appearances at bantamweight.
Ramos is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from a spinning back elbow. He accomplished the feat at UFC 217. Dong Hyun Kim is the other fighter to win with the technique.
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[autotag]Francisco Trinaldo[/autotag] (23-7 MMA, 13-6 UFC), 41, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.
Trinaldo, 41, is the oldest active fighter in the UFC lightweight division.
Trinaldo becomes the 12th fighter in UFC history to make 20 or more lightweight appearances.
Trinaldo is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two arm-triangle submission victories from half-guard.
[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] (24-9-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) is 1-4 (with one no contest) in his past six fights dating back to November 2014.
[autotag]Warlley Alves[/autotag]’ (13-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) three guillotine choke submission victories in UFC competition are tied for third most in company history behind Oliveira (four) and Diaz (four).
[autotag]Douglas Silva de Andrade[/autotag] (25-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) returns to the featherweight division for the first time since his UFC debut in February 2014. He went 4-2 at bantamweight.
Andrade is 3-3 in his past five fights after starting his career on a 23-fight unbeaten streak.
Andrade is one of seven fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning backfist. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 98.
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[autotag]Renan Barao[/autotag]’s (34-8 MMA, 9-7 UFC) four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2016.
Barao is 2-7 in his past nine fights after going on a 33-fight unbeaten streak that lasted more than nine years.
Barao returns to the featherweight division for the first time since September 2016. He went 0-4 during his most recent bantamweight stint before moving up.
Barao is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back kick to the head. He accomplished the feat at UFC 165.
Barao defends 92.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC competition, the sixth highest rate in company history.
Barao holds the record for most consecutive takedown attempts stopped in UFC history (33).
Barao’s five fight-night bonuses for UFC bantamweight bouts are tied for second most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (eight).
[autotag]Veronica Macedo[/autotag] (6-3-1 MMA, 1-3 UFC) is 1-2 since she dropped to the UFC women’s flyweight division in May 2018.
Macedo’s submission victory at 1:09 of Round 1 at UFC on ESPN+ 15 is the fastest finish in UFC women’s flyweight history.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
