UFC 302 pre-event facts: Islam Makhachev, Dustin Poirier battle for history – and lightweight title (2024)

Islam Makhachev

Makhachev’s two consecutive UFC title defenses are tied with Leon Edwards, Alexandre Pantoja and Zhang Weili for most among current champions.

Makhachev can tie the all-time consecutive UFC lightweight title defense record with a win. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Benson Henderson, Frankie Edgar and B.J. Penn share the current record.

Makhachev’s three victories in UFC lightweight title fights are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Nurmagomedov (four), Henderson (four) and Penn (four).

Makhachev’s 13-fight UFC winning streak is the longest active streak among fighters on the roster.

Makhachev’s 12-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Makhachev’s 12-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is tied with Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson for longest in divisional history.

Makhachev lands 61.3 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Justin Gaethje (60.3 percent).

Makhachev absorbs 1.24 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, tied with Matt Serra for the best rate in company history.

Makhachev has completed 61.2 percent of all takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the fourth-best rate in divisional history behind Penn (66.7 percent), Mike Davis (63.6 percent) and Ramsey Nijem (62.5 percent).

Makhachev has defended 90.9 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (92 percent).

Dustin Poirier

Poirier can win an undisputed UFC title in his 31st octagon appearances, the most fights in company history. Charles Oliveira holds the current record at 28 appearances.

Poirier is 14-4 (with one no contest) since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in April 2015. Three of those defeats came in some form of a title fight.

Poirier’s 22 victories in UFC competition are tied for fourth-most in company history behind Jim Miller (26), Andrei Arlovski (23) and Donald Cerrone (23).

Poirier’s 15 stoppage victories in UFC competition are tied for fourth-most in company history behind Oliveira (20), Miller (18) and Cerrone (16).

Poirier’s 11 knockout victories in UFC competition are tied for third-most in company history behind Derrick Lewis (15) and Matt Brown (13).

Poirier’s 14 knockdowns landed in UFC competition are tied for fifth-most in company history behind Cerrone (20), Anderson Silva (18), Jeremy Stephens (18) and Edson Barboza (16).

Poirier’s nine knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Drew Dober for most in divisional history.

Poirier is the only lightweight in UFC history to land 150 or more significant strikes in three separate fights.

Poirier and Dan Hooker combined for 390 total strikes landed at UFC on ESPN 12, the single-fight record for a UFC lightweight bout.

Poirier is one of six fighters in UFC history to earn two or more submission victories by D’Arce choke. Tony Ferguson, Khamzat Chimaev, Julian Erosa, Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland also accomplished the feat.

Poirier is one of seven fighters in UFC history to receive 14 or more career fight-night bonuses.

Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa

Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland (28-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) is one of 14 undisputed middleweight champions in UFC history.

Strickland is 6-3 since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in October 2020.

Strickland is one of 17 fighters in history to earn victories in three UFC weight classes. He’s won at light heavyweight, middleweight and welterweight.

Strickland is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn victories at light heavyweight, middleweight and welterweight. Ildemar Alcantara and Trevin Giles also accomplished the feat.

Strickland’s two victories in a 14-day stretch at UFC Fight Night 181 and UFC Fight Night 182 are tied for the third shortest span between non-tournament UFC wins.

Strickland’s average fight time of 16:57 in UFC middleweight competition is second-longest in divisional history behind Israel Adesanya (17:49).

Strickland lands 6.19 significant strikes per minute in UFC middleweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Du Plessis (6.49) and Marc-Andre Barriault (6.19).

Strickland defends 64.8 percent of all opponent strike attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the second-best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Nassourdine Imavov (66 percent).

Strickland has earned 10 of his 15 UFC victories by decision.

Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) as earned 12 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 11 of those wins by knockout.

Costa has earned his past two victories by decision after his previous 12 wins came by stoppage.

Costa is the only middleweight in UFC history to begin his octagon tenure with four consecutive knockout wins.

Kevin Holland

Kevin Holland (25-11 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returns to the UFC middleweight division for the first time since October 2021. He’s 8-4 in the octagon when fighting at the weight class.

Holland’s 21-day turnaround between UFC main events (UFC on ESPN 21 and UFC on ABC 2) is tied with Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC 255 and UFC 256) for the shortest span in company history.

Holland is one of three fighters in UFC history to go 5-0 in a calendar year. Roger Huerta (2007) and Neil Magny (2014) also accomplished the feat, but Holland did it the fastest at 210 days.

Michal Oleksiejczuk (19-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) is 3-2 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in August 2022.

Oleksiejczuk’s average fight time of 3:40 in UFC middleweight competition is second-shortest in divisional history behind Drew Mcfedries (2:07).

Jailton Almeida

Jailton Almeida (19-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is 4-1 since he moved up to the UFC heavyweight division in May 2022.

Almeida registered 21:10 of ground control time at UFC Fight Night 231, the single-fight UFC heavyweight record and fourth most overall in company history.

Almeida absorbed just two significant strikes in the first five fights of his UFC career.

Almeida absorbs just 0.79 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.

Alexandr Romanov (16-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has earned 15 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 11 of those wins in Round 1.

Romanov completes 54.1 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, tied with Almeida for the second-best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Serghei Spivac (64.3 percent).

Randy Brown

Randy Brown (18-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) is 6-1 in his past seven fights dating back to April 2021. The only defeat in that stretch came to Jack Della Maddalena.

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (24-7-1 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC) is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn knockouts stemming from a flying knee and a spinning wheel kick. Cory Sandhagen and Barboza also accomplished the feat.

Cesar Almeida

Cesar Almeida (5-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned four of his five career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all four of those victories by knockout.

Roman Kopylov (12-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) is 4-3 in his past six fights after starting his career 8-0.

Kopylov defends 87.2 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.

Grant Dawson

Grant Dawson (20-2-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) is 4-1-1 since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in March 2020.

Dawson’s knockout at the 4:59 mark of Round 3 at UFC on ESPN 21 is tied for the second latest stoppage in a three-round UFC fight. Ricky Simon holds the record (5:00, Round 3) at UFC Fight Night 128.

Joe Solecki(13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) absorbs just 1.58 significant strikes per minutes in UFC lightweight competition, the second-best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Makhachev (1.24).

Niko Price

Niko Price (15-7 MMA, 7-7 UFC) is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from an upkick. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 19. Jon Fitch and Irene Alana also won with the technique.

Price has earned two of the six knockout victories in UFC history stemming from the bottom position. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN+ 19 and UFC Fight Night 133.

Price has earned one of three knockouts in UFC history stemming from punches from bottom position. Holland and Paul Craig also accomplished the feat.

Mickey Gall

Mickey Gall (7-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since April 9, 2022. The 784-day layoff is the longest of his more than eight-year career.

Gall’s five submission victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth-most run divisional history behind Gunnar Nelson (seven), Demian Maia (six) and Chris Lytle (six).

Gall’s five rear-naked choke submission wins in UFC competition are tied for sixth-most in company history behind Maia (nine), Kenny Florian (seven), Brendan Allen (six), Renato Moicano (six) and Oliveira (six).

Ailin Perez

Andre Lima

Andre Lima (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) became the first fighter in UFC history to earn a victory by disqualification for his opponent biting.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 302.

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