By Mike Bohn |
December 29, 2020 8:40 pm
Now that the year has come to a close, and with a major assist from UFC research analyst and live statistics producers Michael Carroll, here are some of 2020’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
Event feats
The UFC held 41 events in nine different cities across four countries and four continents.
Within those events, there were 456 fights across 13 different weight classes (including catchweight bouts).
Those 456 fights combined for a total cage time of 83 hours 33 minutes 19 seconds.
The longest event of the year was “UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal” in Abu Dhabi at 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 27 seconds. It also marked the single-event record for most fight time in company history.
“UFC on ESPN 14: Whittaker vs. Till” in Abu Dhabi became the second event in history with 15 completed bouts. UFC 2 in March 1994 was the other.
The shortest event of the year was “UFC on ESPN+ 34: Overeem vs. Sakai” in Las Vegas at 1 hour 17 minutes and 33 seconds.
“UFC on ESPN+ 34: Overeem vs. Sakai” was the promotion’s first seven-fight card since The Ultimate Fighter 2: Finale in November 2005.
At those events, the UFC drew an announced total attendance of 89,623 for a live gate total of $20,924,176.50 (Note: 34 live events were closed to the public and did not have a live gate or attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic).
The highest reported attended event of the year was “UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” in Las Vegas (19,040), while the lowest attended event was UFC on ESPN+ 25 in Rio Rancho, N.M. (6,449).
The highest reported income gate of the year was “UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” in Las Vegas ($11,089,129.30), while the lowest reported income gate of the year went to “UFC on ESPN+ 27: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo” in Norfolk, Va. ($402,958).
The gate for “UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” was the fourth highest in UFC history. UFC 205 in 2016 still holds the company record at $17.7 million.
In 2020, athletes were paid $6,543,500 in Promotional Guidelines Compliance money.
In 2020, 167 fight-night bonuses were given out for a sum of $8,350,000.
Conor McGregor
UFC issued five “Performance of the Night” awards for the first and only time in company history at “UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy” in Las Vegas.
UFC issued six “Performance of the Night” awards for the first and only time in company history at “UFC on ESPN 14: Whittaker vs. Till” in Abu Dhabi.
“UFC on ESPN 13: Kattar vs. Ige” became the second event in history to feature zero knockdowns. UFC Fight Night 9 in 2007 was the other.
“UFC on ESPN 12: Poirier vs. Hooker” featured four third-round submission finishes, tied with UFC Fight Night 89 in 2016 for the single-event UFC record.
“UFC on ESPN 10: Eye vs. Calvillo” and “UFC on ESPN+ 36: Covington vs. Woodley” tied the modern-era record for most sub-60-second finishes on a card with three. Four other events share that record.
“UFC on ESPN+ 28: Lee vs. Oliveira” tied UFC on ESPN 4 in 2019 for the most consecutive decisions on a single UFC card with nine.
“UFC on ESPN+ 25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz” was the first event in UFC history to feature two disqualification results.
Betting favorites went 299-145. Twelve fights ended in a draw, no contest or had even odds.
Betting favorites went 27-13 in event headliners. One fight ended in a draw.
“UFC on EPSN 14: Whittaker vs. Till” had the most favorites come through victorious, with 11. On the flip side, six underdogs won at “UFC on ESPN+ 27: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo,” “UFC on ESPN+ 29: Smith vs. Teixeira,” “UFC on ESPN 18: Smith vs. Clark” and “UFC Fight Night 183: Thompson vs. Neal.’
Jessica Eye
A total of 46 fighters officially missed weight for their respective contests, the single-year record in UFC history. The 32 fighters in that group who went on to compete were 10-22 in their respective bouts.
A total of 123 fighters made their UFC debut in 2020. Those fighters went 49-70 with one draw and one no contest. Debuting fighters who faced an opponent with at least one bout of UFC experience went 31-52 with one draw and one no contest.
Weight class recap: Heavyweight
Number of fights: 44
Knockouts: 20
Submissions: 7
Decisions: 17
Champion at beginning of year: Stipe Miocic
Champion at end of year: Miocic
Most fights in divisional history: Andrei Arlovski (33)
Longest winning streak in division: Francis Ngannou, Curtis Blaydes, Ciryl Gane and Marcin Tybura (4)
Most wins in divisional history: Arlovski (19)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Frank Mir (13)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Derrick Lewis (11)
Most submissions in divisional history: Mir (8)
Most fight-night bonuses: Miocic (9)
Weight class recap: Light heavyweight
Number of fights: 36
Knockouts: 17
Submissions: 5
Decisions: 13
Other: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Jon Jones
Champion at end of year: Jan Blachowicz
Most fights in divisional history: Jones, Mauricio Rua and Ovince Saint Preux (22)
Longest winning streak in division: Glover Teixeira and Magomed Ankalaev (5)
Most wins in divisional history: Jones (20)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Teixeira (12)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Chuck Liddell (9)
Most submissions in divisional history: Teixeira (6)
Most fight-night bonuses: Jones, Rua and Saint Preux (8)
Weight class recap: Middleweight
Number of fights: 44
Knockouts: 18
Submissions: 8
Decisions: 17
Other: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Israel Adesanya
Champion at end of year: Adesanya
Most fights in divisional history: Michael Bisping (24)
Longest winning streak in division: Adesanya (9)
Most wins in divisional history: Bisping (16)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Anderson Silva (11)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Silva and Thiago Santos (8)
Most submissions in divisional history: Demian Maia, Thales Leites, Rousimar Palhares, Antonio Carlos Junior and Gerald Meerschaert (5)
Most fight-night bonuses: Silva (12)
Weight class recap: Welterweight
Number of fights: 55
Knockouts: 15
Submissions: 6
Decisions: 31
Other: 3
Champion at beginning of year: Kamaru Usman
Champion at end of year: Usman
Most fights in divisional history: Thiago Alves and Matt Brown (26)
Longest winning streak in division: Usman (12)
Most wins in divisional history: Georges St-Pierre (19)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Brown (13)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Brown (11)
Most submissions in divisional history: Maia, Gunnar Nelson and Chris Lytle (6)
Most fight-night bonuses: Lytle (10)
Weight class recap: Lightweight
Number of fights: 51
Knockouts: 15
Submissions: 10
Decisions: 24
Other: 2
Champion at beginning of year: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Champion at end of year: Nurmagomedov
Most fights in divisional history: Jim Miller (34)
Longest winning streak in division: Nurmagomedov (12)
Most wins in divisional history: Miller (19)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Joe Lauzon (13)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Edson Barboza and Melvin Guillard (7)
Most submissions in divisional history: Miller (9)
Most fight-night bonuses: Lauzon (15)
Weight class recap: Featherweight
Number of fights: 60
Knockouts: 14
Submissions: 10
Decisions: 36
Champion at beginning of year: Alexander Volkanovski
Champion at end of year: Volkanovski
Most fights in divisional history: Max Holloway and Darren Elkins (21)
Longest winning streak in division: Volkanovski and Arnold Allen (7)
Most wins in divisional history: Holloway (16)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Holloway (10)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Holloway (8)
Most submissions in divisional history: Charles Oliveira (6)
Most fight-night bonuses: Cub Swanson and Chan Sung Jung (8)
Weight class recap: Women’s featherweight
Number of fights: 3
Knockouts: 2
Submissions: 0
Decisions: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Amanda Nunes
Champion at end of year: Nunes
Most fights in divisional history: Cris Cyborg and Megan Anderson (5)
Longest winning streak in division: Nunes and Anderson (2)
Most wins in divisional history: Cyborg (4)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Anderson (3)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Cyborg and Anderson (2)
Most submissions in divisional history: Anderson, Felicia Spencer and Macy Chiasson (1)
Most fight-night bonuses: Nunes, Cyborg, Anderson and Holly Holm (1)
Weight class recap: Bantamweight
Number of fights: 50
Knockouts: 21
Submissions: 8
Decisions: 20
Other: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Henry Cejudo
Champion at end of year: Petr Yan
Most fights in divisional history: Urijah Faber (17)
Longest winning streak in division: Yan (7)
Most wins in divisional history: T.J. Dillashaw (12)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Dillashaw and Marlon Vera (8)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Dillashaw (7)
Most submissions in divisional history: Faber (6)
Most fight-night bonuses: Dillashaw (8)
Weight class recap: Women’s bantamweight
Number of fights: 18
Knockouts: 2
Submissions: 1
Decisions: 15
Champion at beginning of year: Amanda Nunes
Champion at end of year: Nunes
Most fights in divisional history: Raquel Pennington (13)
Longest winning streak in division: Nunes (9)
Most wins in divisional history: Nunes (11)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Nunes (8)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Nunes (6)
Most submissions in divisional history: Ronda Rousey (3)
Most fight-night bonuses: Rousey (7)
Weight class recap: Flyweight
Number of fights: 22
Knockouts: 5
Submissions: 6
Decisions: 11
Champion at beginning of year: No one (title vacant)
Champion at end of year: Deiveson Figueiredo
Most fights in divisional history: Joseph Benavidez (18)
Longest unbeaten streak in division: Figueiredo (6)
Most wins in divisional history: Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson (13)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Figueiredo and Johnson (7)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Benavidez (5)
Most submissions in divisional history: Johnson (5)
Most fight-night bonuses: Johnson (9)
Weight class recap: Women’s flyweight
Number of fights: 34
Knockouts: 7
Submissions: 10
Decisions: 17
Champion at beginning of year: Valentina Shevchenko
Champion at end of year: Shevchenko
Most fights in divisional history: Katlyn Chookagian and Gillian Robertson (9)
Longest winning streak in division: Shevchenko (6)
Most wins in divisional history: Shevchenko, Chookagian and Robertson (6)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Robertson (5)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Shevchenko, Maycee Barber and Shana Dobson (2)
Most submissions in divisional history: Robertson (4)
Most fight-night bonuses: Shevchenko, Antonina Shevchenko and Veronica Macedo (2)
Weight class recap: Strawweight
Number of fights: 26
Knockouts: 2
Submissions: 6
Decisions: 18
Champion at beginning of year: Zhang Weili
Champion at end of year: Weili
Most fights in divisional history: Angela Hill and Randa Markos (16)
Longest winning streak in division: Yan Xiaonan (6)
Most wins in divisional history: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (10)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas (4)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Andrade (3)
Most submissions in divisional history: Namajunas, Cynthia Calvillo and Mackenzie Dern
Most fight-night bonuses: Andrade (7)
Championship feats
Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje
No UFC champions were dethroned inside the octagon for the first time since 1999.
Jon Jones set a new record for most championship-fight victories in history with his 14th at UFC 247. He was previously tied with Georges St-Pierre at 13.
Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk combined for 351 significant strikes landed at UFC 248, the third most in title-fight history. Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega holds the record with 400 total at UFC 231.
Henry Cejudo became the second champion in history to record successful title defenses in two weight classes when he defended his bantamweight belt at UFC 249.
Amanda Nunes became the third champion in history to record successful title defenses in two weight classes when she defended her women’s featherweight belt at UFC 250. Cejudo and Daniel Cormier also accomplished the feat.
Nunes became the first in history to record title defenses in two divisions while simultaneously holding multiple belts when she won at UFC 250.
Deiveson Figueiredo became the third flyweight champion in UFC history when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 30. Cejudo and Demetrious Johnson also accomplished the feat.
Joseph Benavidez became the first in history to go 0-4 in undisputed championship fights when he lost at UFC on ESPN+ 30.
Khabib Nurmagomedov became the first in history to win three consecutive title fights by submission with his victory at UFC 254.
Figueiredo made the fastest title-fight turnaround in UFC history at 21 days when he competed at UFC 256. Ronda Rousey and Matt Hughes held the previous record at 56 days.
Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno fought to the fourth draw in UFC title fight history at UFC 256.
Individual feats
Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone
Aleksei Oleinik became the first fighter in MMA history to earn victories in four different decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s) when he won at UFC 246.
Conor McGregor became the third in history to earn knockout victories in three different weight classes when he won at UFC 246. Jared Cannonier and Vitor Belfort also accomplished the feat.
Valentina Shevchenko earned the eighth knockout in history to stem from the crucifix position when she won at UFC 247.
Jones became the first in history to earn 20 victories in a single UFC weight class when he won at UFC 247.
Jones extended his record unbeaten streak to 18 fights when he won at UFC 247.
Priscila Cachoeira’s 40-second knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 26 set a record for fastest stoppage in women’s flyweight history.
Angela Hill set a new record for most UFC fights within an 11-month span when she made a sixth octagon appearance over that stretch at UFC on ESPN+ 26.
Israel Adesanya reached an 8-0 octagon return faster than anyone in company history (755 days after debut) when he won at UFC 248.
Maryna Moroz’s 139 significant strikes landed at UFC on ESPN+ 28 set a new single-fight record for a three-round women’s flyweight fight.
Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira tied Donald Cerrone’s record for most stoppage victories in history with his 16th when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 28.
Oliveira set a new record for most guillotine-choke submission wins in history when he earned his fifth at UFC on ESPN+ 28. He was previous tied with Nate Diaz at four.
Oliveira became the first in history to reach 10 “Performance of the Night” awards when he received a fight-night bonus at UFC on ESPN+ 28.
Jeremy Stephens extended his own mark for most octagon losses with his 17th at UFC 249.
Justin Gaethje became the first in history to win at least one fight-night bonus in each of his first seven UFC appearances with his bout at UFC 249.
Chase Sherman became the third in history to record multiple knockout victories stemming from standing elbow strikes when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 29. Travis Browne and Alan Jouban also accomplished the feat.
Glover Teixeira’s victory at 1:04 of Round 5 at UFC on ESPN+ 29 marked the second latest stoppage in a UFC light heavyweight bout behind Teixeira’s loss to Alexander Gustafsson (1:06 of Round 5) at UFC Fight Night 109.
Merab Dvalishvili’s 12 takedowns landed at UFC on ESPN 10 set a new single-fight record for most in a UFC/WEC bantamweight bout.
Dvalishvili became the second fighter in history to land 10 or more takedowns in three separate bouts. D. Johnson was first to accomplish the feat.
Curtis Blaydes’ 14 takedowns landed at UFC On ESPN 11 set a new single-fight record for a heavyweight bout.
Maurice Greene became the second in history to earn a submission victory by arm-triangle choke from bottom position when he won at UFC on ESPN 12. Aljamain Sterling also accomplished the feat.
Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker
Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker’s 390 total strikes landed at UFC on ESPN 12 set a new single-fight record for a lightweight bout.
Poirier became the first lightweight in history to land 150 or more significant strikes in three separate fights when he won at UFC on ESPN 12.
Makwan Amirkhani became the third in history to earn multiple submission victories by anaconda choke. Phil Davis and C. Oliveira also accomplished the feat.
Max Holloway recored his 11th performance of 100+ significant strikes at UFC 251. No other fighter has more than eight such performance.
Kamaru Usman became the third in history to start 12-0 with the promotion. Nurmagomedov and Anderson Silva also accomplished the feat.
Khamzat Chimaev set a record for fastest time between wins with two victories in 10 days at UFC on ESPN 13 and UFC on ESPN 14.
Paul Craig became the first in history to win three separate fights by triangle choke submission when he won at UFC on ESPN 14.
Shana Dobson’s victory as a +1250 betting underdog against Mariya Agapova at UFC on ESPN 15 marked the greatest upset in company history.
Hannah Cifers became the first in history to suffer four consecutive losses in a calendar year with her defeat at UFC on ESPN+ 33.
Chimaev set a record for fastest time between three wins with three victories in 66 days at UFC on ESPN 13, UFC on ESPN 14 and UFC on ESPN+ 36.
Joaquin Buckley’s knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 37 was the fourth in history to stem from a spinning back kick to the head.
Jun Yong Park’s 258 total ground strikes in his win at UFC on ESPN+ 38 set a new single-fight record for a three-round fight in company history.
Nurmagomedov became the second in history to earn 13 consecutive octagon victories to start a career with the organization when he won at UFC 254. A. Silva also accomplished the feat.
Teixeira became the first in history to hold a five-fight UFC winning streak at age 40 or older with his win at UFC on ESPN 17.
Teixeira set new records for most finishes (12) and submission (six) victories in light heavyweight history with his win at UFC on ESPN 17.
Jordan Leavitt vs. Matt Wiman
Jordan Leavitt earned the 12th knockout in history stemming from a slam at UFC on ESPN 19.
Leavitt’s 22-second slam knockout tied the record for second fastest in history behind Josh Burkman’s 21-second win at The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale in November 2005.
Leavitt earned the fifth knockout victory in history where the winner landed just one significant strike in a fight.
Leavitt’s 22-second victory marked the fastest finish for a debuting lightweight in history.
Marvin Vettori and Jack Hermansson’s 286 significant strikes landed at UFC on ESPN 19 set a new single-fight middleweight record.
Chase Hooper earned the 19th heel hook finish in history at UFC 256. It was the second finish to occur in the third round, and the first in featherweight history.
Kevin Holland became the third fighter in history to 5-0 in a calendar year when he won at UFC 256. Roger Huerta and Neil Magny also accomplished the feat, but Holland did it the fastest at 210 days.
Figueiredo and Moreno’s 269 significant strikes landed at UFC 256 set a new single-fight record for a flyweight fight.
Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-2020-by-the-numbers-year-end-stats-streaks-records-history
