The octagon returns to Abu Dhabi on Saturday with UFC 321 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+/Disney+/FX.
Two championship fights top the card, with Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) set to defend undisputed heavyweight gold for the first time against Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the main event, while Virna Jandiroba (22-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) rematches Mackenzie Dern (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) for the vacant strawweight title in the co-headliner.
For more on the numbers behind all four championship athletes, as well as the rest of the notable card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC 321.
Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane
Tom Aspinall
Aspinall is one of three fighters in UFC history to achieve an interim title defense. Andrei Arlovski (heavyweight) and Renan Barao (bantamweight) also accomplished the feat.
Aspinall has earned all 15 of his career victories by stoppage.
Aspinall’s average fight time of 2:02 in UFC competition is the shortest in company history.
Aspinall lands 8.07 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Aspinall lands 8.07 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition, the third-highest rate in company history behind Joshua Van (8.86) and Esteban Ribovics (8.08).
Aspinall’s has spent one second of fight time in bottom position, the least of any fighter in UFC history with a minimum of five promotional appearances.
Aspinall’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC heavyweight bout are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Stipe Miocic (nine), Stefan Struve (eight) and Derrick Lewis (eight).
Ciryl Gane
Gane is the only French-born fighter in history to win a version of a UFC title.
Gane is one of 17 fighters in history to win a version of a UFC title with an undefeated record.
Gane is one of three heavyweights in modern UFC history to start his career 7-0 inside the octagon. Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos also accomplished the feat.
Gane lands 61.3 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the division.
Gane defends 61.9 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Gane’s +82 significant strike differential against Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 is the largest margin in a UFC heavyweight title fight.
Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern
Virna Jandiroba
Jandiroba’s five-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is tied with Zhang Weili for the longest active streak in the division.
Jandiroba has landed at least one takedown against 10 of her 11 UFC opponents.
Jandiroba’s three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Dern (five).
Mackenzie Dern
Dern’s 10 victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Angela Hill (12) and Tecia Pennington (11).
Dern’s five stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Jessica Andrade (six).
Dern’s five submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.
Dern’s five submission victories in UFC competition are second-most of any female in company history behind Gillian Robertson (seven).
Dern’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC strawweight bouts are second-most in divisional history behind Andrade (nine).
Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida
Alexander Volkov’s (38-11 MMA, 12-5 UFC) has earned one of five Ezekiel choke submissions in UFC history. He accomplished the feat at UFC 293. Aleksei Oleinik (twice), Uran Satybaldiev and Remco Pardoel have also won with the technique.
Jailton Almeida (21-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) is 6-1 since he moved up to the UFC heavyweight division in May 2022.
Almeida has earned 21 of his 22 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his eight UFC wins.
Almeida registered 21:10 of ground control time at UFC Fight Night 231, the single-fight UFC heavyweight record.
Almeida absorbed just two significant strikes in the first five fights of his UFC career.
Almeida absorbs just 0.98 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista
Mario Bautista’s (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) eight-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Merab Dvalishvili (13).
Bautista has earned six of his 10 UFC victories by decision.
Aleksandar Rakic vs. Azamat Murzakanov
Aleksandar Rakic’s (14-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since April 2021.
Azamat Murzakanov’s (15-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Carlos Ulberg (nine).
Murzakanov has earned 12 of his 15 of his career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his five UFC wins.
Murzakanov lands 58.2 percent of his signifiant strike attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the second-best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Alex Pereira (64.3 percent).
Nasrat Haqparast vs. Quillan Salkilld
Nasrat Haqparast’s (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Islam Makhachev (14) and Paddy Pimblett (seven).
Haqparast has earned eight of his 10 UFC victories by decision.
Quillan Salkilld’s (9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) earned a 19-second TKO victory at UFC 312, the second-fastest finish by a debuting lightweight in UFC history. Terrance McKinney holds the record with a seven-second win.
Valter Walker vs. Louie Sutherland
Valter Walker’s (14-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is tied with Aspinall for the longest active streak in the division.
Walker has earned all three of his UFC victories by submission.
Walker is the only heavyweight in UFC history to earn three consecutive victories by heel hook submission.
Walker’s three heel hook submission victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Rousimar Palhares (four).
Nathaniel Wood vs. Jose Delgado
Nathaniel Wood (22-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is 5-1 since he moved up to the featherweight division in July 2022.
Wood lands 58.8 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the third-highest rate in divisional history behind Jack Jenkins (59.7 percent) and Bryce Mitchell (59.6 percent).
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Chris Barnett
Chris Barnett (23-9 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has earned all 18 of his career stoppage victories by knockout.
Barnett is one of 16 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a wheel kick. He’s one of two heavyweights to accomplish the feat, along with Junior Dos Santos.
Azat Maksum vs. Mitch Raposo
Azat Maksum (17-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 17-0.
Jaqueline Amorim vs. Mizuki Inoue
Jaqueline Amorim’s (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Zhang (five) and Jandiroba (five).
Amorim’s three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for the second-most in divisional history behind Dern (five).
Amorim’s four-fight UFC stoppage streak is tied with Bogdan Guskov and Sam Patterson for the longest active streak in the company.
Amorim has earned all 10 of her career victories by stoppage. She’s finished eight of those wins by submission.
Amorim absorbs just 1.43 significant strikes per minute in UFC strawweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
