UFC 290 pre-event facts: Alexander Volkanovski can score rare type of title defense

Check out the most notable UFC 290 pre-event facts as champ Alexander Volkanovski returns to 145 pounds after losing to Islam Makhachev.

The UFC’s 11th annual International Fight Week festivities are upon us, all of which concludes Saturday with UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

A tentpole of the UFC’s yearly schedule features two championship fights at the top of the bill. In the main event, [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC) and [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) meet in a featherweight championship unification bout, while in the co-headliner, flyweight [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] (21-6-2 MMA, 9-2-2 UFC) takes on streaking challenger [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (25-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC).

For more on the numbers behind both title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 290.

* * * *