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 2019’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
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EVENTS
The UFC held 42 events in 39 different cities across 15 countries and five continents.
Within those events, there were 516 fights across 13 different weight classes (including catchweight bouts).
Those 516 fights combined for a total cage time of 94:59:04.
The longest event of the year was “UFC on ESPN+ 19: Joanna vs. Waterson” in Tampa, Fla., at 2:57:27. It was the second longest in company history behind “UFC Fight Night 121: Werdum vs. Tybura” (3:04:18).
The shortest event of the year was “UFC on ESPN 3: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos” in Minneapolis at 1:38:12.
“UFC on ESPN+ 13: de Randamie vs. Ladd” featured 62 seconds of total fight time in the main and co-main event, the single-event record in company history.
At those events, the UFC drew an announced total attendance of 548,023 for a live gate total of $61,050,133.74 (Note: Live gate was not announced for 11 events; no attendance was revealed for one event).
The highest reported attended event of the year was “UFC 243: Whittaker vs. Adesanya” in Melbourne (57,127), which was the all-time company record, while the lowest attended event was “UFC on ESPN+ 20: Maia vs. Askren” in Singapore (7,155).
The highest reported income gate of the year was “UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz” in New York ($6,575,996.19) while the lowest reported income gate of the year went to “UFC on ESPN+ 4: Lewis vs. Dos Santos” in Wichita, Kan. ($636,417.26).
In 2019, 168 fight-night bonuses were given out for a sum of $8.4 million.
In 2019, athletes were paid $7,370,500 in Promotional Guidelines Compliance money.
The most knockouts at a single event went to “UFC on ESPN 3: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos,” “UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz” and “UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington” with seven each.
“UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes” featured a total of 1,818 significant strikes landed, a new single-event record. UFC 231 held the previous high with 1,647.
The most submissions at a single event went to “UFC on ESPN 5: Covington vs. Lawler” with five.
The most fights to go to a decision at a single event went to “UFC on ESPN 4: Dos Anjos vs. Edwards” with 10.
“UFC on ESPN 4: Dos Anjos vs. Edwards” featured nine consecutive decision results, tied for the single-event UFC record.
“UFC on ESPN 4: Dos Anjos vs. Edwards” started with nine consecutive decision results, the single-event record.
“UFC on ESPN 7: Overeem vs. Rozenstruik” marked the third event in company history to feature two draws. UFC 22 and UFC 216 were the others.
Betting favorites went 319-182. Fifteen fights ended in a draw, no contest or had even odds.
Betting favorites went 22-18 in event headliners. Two fights ended in a no contest or had even odds.
“UFC on ESPN 3: Ngannou vs. Dos Santos” and “UFC on ESPN+ 22: Blachowicz vs. Jacare” had the most favorites come through victorious, with 10 each. On the flip side, seven underdogs won at three separate events.
A total of 30 fighters officially missed weight for their respective contests. The 28 fighters in that group to compete went 10-17-1 in their respective bouts.
A total of 135 fighters made their UFC debut in 2019. Those fighters went 57-74-2 with two no contests. Debuting fighters who faced an opponent with at least one bout of UFC experience went 43-58-2 with two no contests.
A variety of circumstances caused a total of 19 UFC main event or co-main event fights to be adjusted, postponed or canceled entirely.
One entire event was canceled (UFC 233 in January in Anaheim, Calif.)
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 2019’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
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WEIGHT CLASSES
HEAVYWEIGHT
Number of fights: 40
Knockouts: 21
Submissions: 4
Decisions: 12
Other: 3
Champion at beginning of year: Daniel Cormier
Champion at end of year: Stipe Miocic
Most fights in divisional history: Andrei Arlovski (31)
Longest winning streak in division: Jairzinho Rozenstruik (4)
Most wins in divisional history: Arlovski (17)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Frank Mir (13)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Derrick Lewis, Cain Velasquez, Junior Dos Santos (10)
Most submissions in divisional history: Mir (8)
Most fight-night bonuses: Miocic (9)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Number of fights: 46
Knockouts: 20
Submissions: 10
Decisions: 15
Other: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Jon Jones
Champion at end of year: Jones
Most fights in divisional history: Jones (21)
Longest winning streak in division: Dominick Reyes (6)
Most wins in divisional history: Jones (19)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Jones, Glover Teixeira, Ovince Saint Preux (10)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Chuck Liddell (9)
Most submissions in divisional history: Jones, Teixeira, Saint Preux, Misha Cirkunov (5)
Most fight-night bonuses: Jones, Mauricio Rua (8)
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Number of fights: 46
Knockouts: 8
Submissions: 9
Decisions: 29
Champion at beginning of year: Robert Whittaker
Champion at end of year: Israel Adesanya
Most fights in divisional history: Michael Bisping (24)
Longest winning streak in division: Adesanya (7)
Most wins in divisional history: Michael Bisping (16)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Anderson Silva (11)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Silva, Thiago Santos (8)
Most submissions in divisional history: Antonio Carlos Junior, Thales Leites, Demian Maia, Rousimar Palhares (5)
Most fight-night bonuses: Silva (11)
WELTERWEIGHT
Number of fights: 76
Knockouts: 25
Submissions: 12
Decisions: 39
Champion at beginning of year: Tyron Woodley
Champion at end of year: Kamaru Usman
Most fights in divisional history: Thiago Alves (26)
Longest winning streak in division: Usman (11)
Most wins in divisional history: Georges St-Pierre (19)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Matt Brown (13)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Brown (11)
Most submissions in divisional history: Maia, Chris Lytle, Gunnar Nelson (6)
Most fight-night bonuses: Lytle (10)
LIGHTWEIGHT
Number of fights: 76
Knockouts: 26
Submissions: 9
Decisions: 41
Champion at beginning of year: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Champion at end of year: Nurmagomedov
Most fights in divisional history: Jim Miller (32)
Longest winning streak in division: Tony Ferguson (12)
Most wins in divisional history: Miller (19)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Joe Lauzon (13)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Edson Barboza, Melvin Guillard (7)
Most submissions in divisional history: Miller (9)
Most fight-night bonuses: Lauzon, Donald Cerrone (15)
FEATHERWEIGHT
Number of fights: 61
Knockouts: 16
Submissions: 11
Decisions: 33
Other: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Max Holloway
Champion at end of year: Alexander Volkanovski
Most fights in divisional history: Holloway (20)
Longest winning streak in division: Volkanovski, Arnold Allen, Zabit Magomedsharipov (6)
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: Chan Sung Jung, Cub Swanson (8)
WOMEN’S FEATHERWEIGHT
Number of fights: 3
Knockouts: 0
Submissions: 2
Decisions: 1
Champion at beginning of year: Amanda Nunes
Champion at end of year: Nunes
Most fights in divisional history: Cris Cyborg (5)
Longest winning streak in division: Six fighters tied at 1
Most wins in divisional history: Cyborg (4)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Cyborg, Megan Anderson (2)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Cyborg (2)
Most submissions in divisional history: Anderson (2)
Most fight-night bonuses: Nunes, Cyborg, Holly Holm (1)
BANTAMWEIGHT
Number of fights: 61
Knockouts: 15
Submissions: 10
Decisions: 36
Champion at beginning of year: T.J. Dillashaw
Champion at end of year: Henry Cejudo
Most fights in divisional history: Urijah Faber (17)
Longest winning streak in division: Petr Yan (6)
Most wins in divisional history: T.J. Dillashaw (12)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Dillashaw (8)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Dillashaw (7)
Most submissions in divisional history: Faber (6)
Most fight-night bonuses: Dillashaw (8)
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT
Number of fights: 23
Knockouts: 8
Submissions: 2
Decisions: 13
Champion at beginning of year: Amanda Nunes
Champion at end of year: Amanda Nunes
Most fights in divisional history: Nunes (12)
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)
FLYWEIGHT
Number of fights: 17
Knockouts: 5
Submissions: 2
Decisions: 10
Champion at beginning of year: Henry Cejudo
Champion at end of year: No one (title vacant)
Most fights in divisional history: Joseph Benavidez (16)
Longest winning streak in division: Cejudo (4)
Most wins in divisional history: Benavidez, Demotions Johnson (13)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Johnson (7)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Benavidez (5)
Most submissions in divisional history: Johnson (5)
Most fight-night bonuses: Johnson (9)
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT
Number of fights: 36
Knockouts: 6
Submissions: 5
Decisions: 25
Champion at beginning of year: Valentina Shevchenko
Champion at end of year: Shevchenko
Most fights in divisional history: Gillian Robertson (6)
Longest winning streak in division: Shevchenko (4)
Most wins in divisional history: Five fighters tied with 5
Most stoppages in divisional history: Robertson (4)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Maycee Barber (2)
Most submissions in divisional history: Robertson, Montana De La Rosa (3)
Most fight-night bonuses: Shevchenko (2)
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT
Number of fights: 30
Knockouts: 3
Submissions: 5
Decisions: 22
Champion at beginning of year: Rose Namajunas
Champion at end of year: Weili Zhang
Most fights in divisional history: Randa Markos (13)
Longest winning streak in division: Tatiana Suarez (5)
Most wins in divisional history: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (9)
Most stoppages in divisional history: Namajunas, Jessica Andrade (4)
Most knockouts in divisional history: Andrade (3)
Most submissions in divisional history: Namajunas, Cynthia Calvillo (3)
Most fight-night bonuses: Andrade (6)
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 2019’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
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CHAMPIONSHIP FEATS
Kamaru Usman outlanded Tyron Woodley by a margin of 336-60 (+275) in total strikes at UFC 235, a new company record for a title fight.
Jon Jones outlanded Anthony Smith by a margin of 238-45 (+193) in total strikes at UFC 235, a new company record for a light heavyweight title fight.
Israel Adesanya’s four knockdowns landed at UFC 236 set a new single-fight company record for a title bout.
Dustin Poirier won a title in his 22nd octagon appearance, the second most of any champion in company history behind Michael Bisping (26). Poirier claimed the interim lightweight belt at UFC 236.
Jessica Andrade earned the fourth knockout victory in title-fight history stemming from a slam with her win at UFC 237. He feat hadn’t happened since UFC 34 in November 2001.
Valentina Shevchenko earned the sixth knockout in title-fight history to stemming from a head kick when she won at UFC 238.
Henry Cejudo became the seventh fighter in company history to win titles in two weight classes when he won at UFC 238.
Cejudo became the fourth simultaneous two-division champion in company history with his win at UFC 238. Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier and Amanda Nunes.
Jones earned his 13th title-fight victory at UFC 239, tied with Georges St-Pierre for most in company history.
Max Holloway became the first champion to record a successful title defense immediately after suffering a loss since B.J. Penn accomplished the feat at UFC 101 when he won at UFC 240. Holloway lost his prior bout at UFC 236.
Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche combined for 60 significant strikes landed at UFC on ESPN+ 14, the third fewest in a modern-era title fight that went all five rounds. Only Sean Sherk vs. Hermes Franca (41) and Demetrious Johnson vs. Tim Elliott (52) had less.
Stipe Miocic became the fourth heavyweight in company history to have multiple championship reigns when he won at UFC 241.
Miocic and Daniel Cormier combined for 304 significant strikes landed at UFC 241, a new single-fight company record for a heavyweight title fight.
Miocic’s stoppage victory over Cormier at UFC 241 despite a -58 significant strike deficit is the second largest comeback in title-fight history behind Anderson Silva’s win over Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 (-60).
Zhang Weili became the first Chinese-born champion in company history when she won the strawweight title at UFC on ESPN+ 15.
Adesanya became the 13th fighter in UFC history to win an undisputed title with an undefeated record when he won the middleweight belt at UFC 243.
Alexander Volkanovski became the first Australian-born champion in company history when he won the featherweight title at UFC 245.
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 2019’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
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INDIVIDUAL FEATS
Donald Cerrone extended his own record for most stoppage victories in company history with his 16th when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 1.
Cerrone passed Wanderlei Silva for the most victories UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce combined history with his 28th with his win at UFC on ESPN+ 1.
Cerrone extended his record for most knockout victories stemming from a head kick in company history with his seventh with his win at UFC on ESPN+ 1.
Said Nurmagomedov became the fifth in company history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back kick to the body when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Johnny Walker became the sixth in company history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning backfist when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Charles Oliveira extended his own record for most submission victories in company history with his 13th when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 2.
Oliveira became the second in company history to earn multiple submission victories via anaconda choke when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 2. Phil Davis also accomplished the feat.
Demian Maia became the fourth in company history with 20 victories when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 2. Cerrone, Bisping, St-Pierre also accomplished the feat.
Maia became the third in company history with 10 submission victories when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 2. Oliveira and Royce Gracie also accomplished the feat.
Emily Whitmire’s 61-second victory at UFC on ESPN 1 set a new record for fastest submission in flyweight history.
Vicente Luque and Bryan Barberena combined for 332 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 1, the second most for a three-round fight in company history behind Nate Diaz vs. Cerrone (334) at UFC 141 in December 2011.
Kron Gracie became the first Gracie family member since 1994 to earn an octagon victory when he won at UFC on ESPN 1.
Walker earned just the second knockout stemming from a flying knee in light heavyweight history when he won at UFC 235. James Irvin also accomplished the feat.
Jeremy Stephens became the first in company history to suffer 15 octagon losses when he was defeated at UFC 235.
Usman landed 192 body strikes in his win at UFC 235, a new single-fight record in company history.
Justin Gaethje became the first in company history to win at least one fight-night bonus in each of his first five octagon appearances when he won at UFC on ESPN 2.
Khalil Rountree’s four knockdowns landed at UFC 236 set a new single-fight company record for a light heavyweight bout.
Poirier and Holloway combined for 359 significant strikes landed at UFC 236, the second most for a single fight in company history behind Holloway vs. Brian Ortega at UFC 231 in December 2018 (400).
Magomed Mustafaev earned the third knockout in company history stemming from a spinning back kick to the head when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 8. Renan Barao and Uriah Hall also accomplished the feat.
Michel Oleksiejczuk’s three knockdowns landed in 44 seconds at UFC on ESPN+ 7 set a new company record for most in the least amount of octagon time in a single fight.
Jim Miller set a new company record for most submission victories in lightweight history with his eighth when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 8.
Jack Hermansson landed 148 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN+ 8, new company record for a five-round middleweight fight.
Arjan Bhullar’s -40 significant strike differential (41 vs. 81) in his victory at UFC on ESPN+ 9 marked the largest deficit in company history for a UFC heavyweight who won by decision.
Cerrone extended his own record for most victories company with his 23rd when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 9.
Cerrone extended his own record most victories UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce combined history with his 29th in his win at UFC on ESPN+ 9.
Cerrone set a new record for most knockdowns landed in company history with his 20th when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 9.
B.J. Penn suffered his seventh consecutive octagon loss at UFC 237, the longest skid in company history.
Joanne Calderwood landed 68 leg kicks at UFC 238, a new single-fight company record for a three-round bout.
Aljamain Sterling landed 174 significant strikes at UFC 238, a new single-fight record for a UFC/WEC bantamweight fight.
Cerrone extended his own record for most fight-night bonus in UFC history when he was awarded his 18th in his loss at UFC 238.
Deron Winn landed 169 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN+ 12, a new single-fight company record for a middleweight bout.
Jair Rozenstruik’s nine-second knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 12 marked the second fastest in heavyweight history behind Todd Duffee’s seven-second finish at UFC 102.
Ashley Yoder was awarded the first 30-24 scorecard in a women’s fight when she won at UFC on ESPN+ 12.
Chan Sung Jung became the first featherweight in UFC/WEC combined history to earn multiple knockout wins in less than one minute when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 12.
Diego Sanchez became the first in company history to fight to a decision 20 times in his loss at UFC 239.
Jorge Masvidal’s five-second knockout at UFC 239 marked the fastest finish in company history.
Urijah Faber became the first UFC Hall of Fame fighter in company history to earn an octagon victory after being inducted when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 13.
Andrei Arlovski set a new record for most heavyweight victories in company history with his 17th when he won at UFC on ESPN 4.
Matt Schnell became the first flyweight in company history to earn a submission victory by triangle choke when he won at UFC on ESPN 5.
Colby Covington attempted 533 total strikes at UFC on ESPN 5, a new single-fight company record.
Covington attempted 510 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 5, a new single-fight company record.
Khabib Nurmagomedov became the second in company history to earn 12 consecutive octagon victories to start a UFC career when he won at UFC 242. A. Silva also accomplished the feat.
Misha Cirkunov earned the second Peruvian necktie submission in company history when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 16. C.B. Dollaway also accomplished the feat.
Gaethje became the first in history to win at least one fight-night bonus in each of his first six octagon appearances in his win at UFC on ESPN+ 16.
Sergio Pettis became the first in company history to earn his first nine victories with the promotion by decision when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 17.
Steven Peterson earned the seventh knockout victory in company history stemming from a spinning backfist when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 17.
Yair Rodriguez vs. Stephens at UFC on ESPN+ 17 marked the second fastest no contest in company history behind the 11-second ending between Antonio Carlos Junior and Kevin Casey at UFC Fight Night 80 in December 2015.
Ovince Saint Preux extended his own record for most Von Flue choke submission victories with his fourth when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 18.
Megan Anderson became the first women’s featherweight in company history to earn a submission victory by triangle choke when she won at UFC 243.
Niko Price earned the second knockout in company history stemming from an upkick when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 19. Jon Fitch also accomplished the feat.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk became the second in company history to land 100 or more significant strikes in seven separate fights when she won at UFC on ESPN+ 19. Holloway also accomplished the feat.
Molly McCann became the first women’s flyweight in company history to land 100 or more significant strikes in three consecutive fights when she won at UFC on ESPN 6.
Stephens extended his record for most losses in his company history with his 16th when he was defeated at UFC on ESPN 6.
Ciryl Gane’s submission victory at 4:46 of Round 3 at UFC on ESPN+ 20 set a new company record for latest submission in a heavyweight fight.
Maia extended his record for most submission victories via rear-naked choke in company history with his ninth when he won at UFC on ESPN+ 20.
Bryce Mitchell earned the second Twister submission victory in company history when he won at UFC on ESPN 7. Jung also accomplished the feat.
Marina Rodriguez became the first female in company history to fight to multiple draws at UFC on ESPN 7.
Rozenstruik’s knockout victory at the 4:56 mark of Round 5 at UFC on ESPN 7 marked the third latest stoppage in company history behind Demetrious Johnson (4:59 of Round 5) at UFC 186 and Yair Rodriguez (4:59 of Round 5) at UFC Fight Night 139.
Matt Brown extended his record for most stoppage victories in welterweight history with his 13th at UFC 245.
Brown extended his record for most knockout victories in welterweight history with his 11th at UFC 245.
Holloway became the first in company history to land 100 or more significant strikes in 10 separate fights in his loss at UFC 245.
Holloway became the first in company history to reach 2,000 or more significant strikes in octagon competition in his bout at UFC 245.
Usman became the fourth in company history to earn 11 consecutive octagon victories to start a UFC career when he won at UFC 245. Nurmagomedov, A. Silva and R. Gracie also accomplished the feat.
Usman became the first welterweight in company history to start his UFC career with 11 consecutive victories when he won at UFC 245.
Jung became the first in company history to be awarded eight fight-night bonuses in his first eight octagon appearances in his win at UFC on ESPN+ 23.
