UFC

UFC 300 prelims pre-event facts: Kayla Harrison raises bar for exclusive group of Olympic medalists in UFC

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UFC 300 goes down Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and it’s such a stacked event that MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts need to be broken into two parts.

First up, we dig into the preliminary portion of the card, which features six former UFC champions and is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between ex-light heavyweight titleholder Jiri Prochazka (29-4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) and the returning Aleksandar Rakic (14-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

For more on the numbers behind the eight-fight prelim lineup at UFC 300, which airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+, check below.

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Jiri Prochazka vs. Aleksandar Rakic

Jiri Prochazka

Jiri Prochazka

Prochazka has earned 28 of his 29 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his UFC wins.

Prochazka’s victory at the 4:32 mark of Round 5 marked the second-latest finish in UFC championship fight behind Demetrious Johnson’s win over Kyoji Horiguchi at 4:59 of Round 5 at UFC 186.

Prochazka is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back elbow. Molly McCann, Ricardo Ramos, Dong Hyun Kim and Uros Medic also accomplished the feat.

Aleksandar Rakic

Aleksandar Rakic

Rakic returns to competition for the first time since May 14, 2022. The 700-day layoff is the longest of his more than 12-year career.

Rakic defends 90 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind J. Jones (95 percent).

Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling

Calvin Kattar

Calvin Kattar

Calvin Kattar (23-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Oct. 29, 2022. The 532-day layoff it the longest of his UFC career.

Kattar is 1-3 in his past four fights dating back to January 2021.

Kattar is one of three fighters in UFC history to be issued a 42-point scorecard in a five-round fight. Gil Castillo and David Loiseau also achieved the dubious distinction.

Kattar and Max Holloway combined for 578 significant strikes landed at UFC on ABC 1, a single-fight record in UFC history.

Kattar and Holloway combined for 581 total strikes landed at UFC on ABC 1, a single-fight record in UFC history.

Kattar defends 91.3 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the third-highest rate in divisional history behind Julio Arce (95.2 percent) and Shane Burgos (91.5 percent).

Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling (23-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) moves up to the featherweight division after spending his previous UFC tenure at bantamweight, including a stint as champion.

Sterling is one of six fighters in UFC history to hold the undisputed bantamweight title.

Sterling’s three consecutive UFC bantamweight title defenses are most by any champion in divisional history.

Sterling’s four victories in UFC bantamweight title fights are tied with Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao for second-most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (five).

Sterling’s total fight time of 3:55:40 in UFC bantamweight competition is the most in divisional history.

Sterling’s 14 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.

Sterling’s seven stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Marlon Vera (10) and Dillashaw (eight).

Sterling’s four submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (six) and Rani Yahya (six).

Holly Holm vs. Kayla Harrison

Holly Holm

Holly Holm

Holly Holm (15-6 MMA, 8-6 UFC), 42, is the oldest female fighter on the UFC roster.

Holm’s seven victories in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Nunes (13), Raquel Pennington (12) and Ketlen Vieira (eight).

Holm’s two knockdowns landed in UFC women’s bantamweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Nunes (six).

Holm’s four consecutive losses in UFC title fights are the most for any female in company history.

Holm’s two head-kick knockout victories in UFC competition are the most of any woman in company history.

Holm is one of 10 fighters in UFC history to win a championship fight by head-kick knockout. She accomplished the feat at UFC 193.

Kayla Harrison

Kayla Harrison

Kayla Harrison (16-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) becomes the fourth Olympic gold medalist to fight in the UFC, along with Henry Cejudo, Kevin Jackson and Mark Schultz. She’s the only multi-time gold medalist in company history.

Harrison is the second Olympic gold medalist to fight in the UFC since the organization was purchased by parent company Zuffa. Cejudo is the other.

Harrison is a two-time PFL women’s lightweight champion. She accomplished the feat in 2019 and 2021.

Jalin Turner vs. Renato Moicano

Renato Moicano

Renato Moicano (18-5-1 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is 5-1 since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in March 2020.

Moicano’s six submission victories by rear-naked choke in UFC competition are third-most in company history behind Maia (nine) and Kenny Florian (seven).

Jessica Andrade vs. Marina Rodriguez

Jessica Andrade

Jessica Andrade (25-12 MMA, 16-10 UFC) competes in her 27th UFC bout, the most appearances by any female in company history.

Andrade is 2-2 since she returned to the UFC strawweight division in April 2022.

Andrade is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn victories in three weight classes. She’s the only female to accomplish the feat, winning at bantamweight, flyweight and strawweight.

Andrade’s 16 UFC victories are tied with Nunes for the most by any female in company history.

Andrade’s nine stoppage victories in UFC women’s competition are second-most in company history behind Nunes (10).

Andrade’s six stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.

Andrade’s four knockout victories in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.

Andrade’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.

Andrade is one of 14 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a slam. She accomplished the feat at UFC 237.

Andrade is one of four in history to win a UFC title fight by knockout stemming from a slam. She accomplished the feat at UFC 237.

Andrade is the only female in UFC history to land four knockdowns in a single fight. She accomplished the feat at UFC 295.

Andrade landed 231 significant strikes at UFC 283, the second most in a three-round fight in UFC history behind Nate Diaz’s 238 landed vs. Donald Cerrone at UFC 141.

Andrade landed 242 total strikes against Claudia Gadelha at UFC Fight Night 117, the single-fight record for a UFC strawweight bout.

Andrade earned the only standing arm-triangle choke submission in UFC history with her finish of Amanda Lemos at UFC Fight Night 205.

Andrade’s 10 takedowns landed against Tecia Torres at UFC on FOX 29 are tied for the single-fight record for a women’s UFC bout.

Andrade’s nine fight-night bonuses for UFC strawweight bouts are most in divisional history.

Marina Rodriguez (18-3-2 MMA, 7-3-2 UFC) is the only female fighter in UFC history to fight to multiple draws.

Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller

Bobby Green

Bobby Green

Bobby Green (31-15-1 MMA, 12-10-1 UFC) has landed 1,659 significant strikes in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Green has landed 1,885 total strikes in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history.

Green lands 6.28 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, the third-best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Gaethje (7.35) and Ignacio Bahamondes (7.08).

Jim Miller

Jim Miller

Jim Miller’s (37-17 MMA, 26-16 UFC) competes in his 44th UFC bout, the most appearances in company history. His 41st lightweight appearance is the divisional record.

Miller’s 26 victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Miller’s 23 victories in UFC lightweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Miller’s 18 stoppage victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Oliveira (20).

Miller’s 16 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are most in divisional history.

Miller’s 48 submission attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Miller’s 12 submission victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Oliveira (16).

Miller’s 10 submission victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Oliveira for most in divisional history.

Miller’s 14 fight-night bonuses for UFC lightweight bouts are tied with Cerrone for second-most in divisional history behind Joe Lauzon (15).

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt

Deiveson Figueiredo

Deiveson Figueiredo

Deiveson Figueiredo (22-3-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC), a former two-time flyweight champion, was successful in his UFC bantamweight debut at UFC on ESPN 52 in December.

Figueiredo is one of five flyweight champions in UFC history. Alexandre Pantoja, Brandon Moreno, Henry Cejudo and Demetrious Johnson also held the title. He and Moreno are the only members of the group to have multiple reigns.

Figueiredo and Moreno are the only opponents in UFC history to face each other four times.

Figueiredo made the fastest title-fight turnaround in UFC history at 21 days at UFC 255 and UFC 256.

Figueiredo’s 10 victories in UFC flyweight competition are fourth-most in divisional history behind Johnson (13), Joseph Benavidez (13) and Pantoja (11).

Figueiredo’s seven stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied with Johnson for most in divisional history.

Figueiredo’s four knockout victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Benavidez (five).

Figueiredo’s 11 knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are most in divisional history.

Figueiredo and Moreno combined for 269 significant strikes landed at UFC 256, the single-fight record for a UFC flyweight title bout.

Cody Garbrandt

Cody Garbrandt

Cody Garbrandt (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) is 2-0 since returning to the bantamweight division in March 2023.

Garbrandt’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Vera, Petr Yan and Montel Jackson for most in divisional history.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

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

Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

 

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