UFC on ESPN+ 27 pre-event facts: How Joseph Benavidez can make history with title win

The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 27, which features a Joseph Benavidez vs. Deiveson Figueiredo main event.

The UFC hosts an event in Virginia for the fifth time in company history on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 27, which goes down at Chartway Arena in Norfolk and streams on ESPN+.

A new flyweight champion will be crowned in the main event. Joseph Benavidez (28-5 MMA, 15-3 UFC) attempts to complete his long journey to UFC gold when he meets the once-beaten Deiveson Figueiredo (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) for the vacant strap.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 27.

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Main event

Benavidez, 35, can become the oldest fighter to claim a UFC title at welterweight or below.

Benavidez competes in his fourth UFC/WEC title fight. He’s 0-3 in previous opportunities.

Benavidez competes in his 17th UFC flyweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.

Benavidez’s total fight time of 3:03:30 in UFC flyweight competition is second most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (4:39:12).

Benavidez’s 13 victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson for most in divisional history.

Benavidez’s six stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Johnson (seven).

Benavidez’s six knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are second most in divisional history behind John Lineker (seven).

Benavidez’s five knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.

Benavidez’s four fight-night bonuses for UFC flyweight bouts are second most in divisional history behind Johnson (nine).

Figueiredo becomes the second Brazilian to fight for the UFC flyweight title. Wilson Reis also accomplished the feat.

Figueiredo has earned 14 of his 17 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his UFC wins.

Figueiredo lands 52.7 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.

Figueiredo attempts 2.4 submissions per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Remaining main card

Zarah Fairn (6-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC), 36, is the oldest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

Ion Cutelaba (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 12 of those wins by knockout.

Cutelaba has earned eight of his career victories in 30 seconds or less.

Cutelaba lands 5.27 significant strikes per minute in UFC light heavyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.

Magomed Ankalaev’s (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Glover Teixeira and Ryan Spann for the second longest active streak in the division behind Jon Jones (four).

Ankalaev is the only light heavyweight in UFC history to earn multiple knockout victories stemming from kicks.

Megan Anderson (10-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) competes in her fifth UFC women’s featherweight bout, tied with Cris Cyborg for the most appearances in divisional history.

Anderson’s two victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are second most in divisional history behind Cyborg (four).

Anderson’s two stoppage victories in UFC women’s featherweight competition are tied with Cyborg for most in divisional history.

Anderson has the only triangle choke submission finish in UFC women’s featherweight history. She accomplished the feat at UFC 243.

Preliminary card

Brendan Allen (13-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 12 of his 13 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished both of his UFC wins by submission.

Tom Breese (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) competes for just the second time since June 2016.

Breese was successful in his UFC middleweight debut at UFC Fight Night 130 in May 2018.

Marcin Tybura (17-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to June 2017.

Tybura defends 81.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Alexander Volkov (82.8 percent) and Junior Dos Santos (81.8 percent).

Serghei Spivac (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished eight of those wins in Round 1.

Ismail Naurdiev (19-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the 24 fighters scheduled to compete at the event.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.