By The Numbers: Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler

Two of the most revered and accomplished lightweights in mixed martial arts history will tangle under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner when Dustin Poirier collides with Michael Chandler in a featured UFC 281 attraction on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The stakes are undeniably high for both men.

Poirier has rattled off seven victories over his last nine outings. However, the American Top Team standout finds himself on the rebound after a third-round rear-naked choke submission loss to Charles Oliveira in a failed bid to capture the undisputed lightweight crown at UFC 269 on Dec. 11. Chandler, meanwhile, has won seven of his past 10 bouts. The Kill Cliff Fight Club (formerly Sanford MMA) export has not competed since he flattened Tony Ferguson with a front kick in the second round of their UFC 274 pairing on May 7.

As Poirier and Chandler move ever closer to their forthcoming battle at 155 pounds, a look at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this point:

33: Years of age for Poirier, who was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, on Jan. 19, 1989.

14: Poirier wins by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 50% of his career total (28). His list of UFC victims: Conor McGregor (twice), Eddie Alvarez, Justin Gaethje, Bobby Green, Yancy Medeiros, Diego Ferreira, Akira Corassani and Diego Brandao. Poirier owns seven other wins by submission (25%) and seven more by decision (25%).

1,101: Significant strikes landed by Poirier as a UFC lightweight, placing him sixth on the promotion’s all-time list at 155 pounds. Only Green (1,404), Evan Dunham (1,225), John Makdessi (1,210), Donald Cerrone (1,127) and the aforementioned Ferguson (1,105) have connected with more.

13: Consecutive calendar years in which Poirier has fought at least once. He went 5-0 in 2009, 3-1 in 2010, 3-0 in 2011, 2-1 in 2012, 2-1 in 2013, 1-1 in 2014, 2-0 in 2015, 2-1 in 2016, 2-0 with one no contest in 2017, 2-0 in 2018, 1-1 in 2019, 1-0 in 2020 and 2-1 in 2021.

166: Combined victories between the seven opponents—Oliveira, McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Michael Johnson, Cub Swanson, Chan Sung Jung and Danny Castillo—who have defeated Poirier. They sport a .725 cumulative winning percentage at 166-63.

36: Years of age for Chandler, who was born on April 24, 1986 in High Ridge, Missouri.

7: Chandler victories by submission, accounting for 30% of his career total (23). His methods of choice: four rear-naked chokes, two arm-triangle chokes and one guillotine choke. Chandler holds 11 other victories by knockout or technical knockout (48%) and five more by decision (22%).

150,000: Dollars in post-fight bonuses banked by Chandler across his four appearances in the UFC. The three-time Bellator MMA champion has been awarded “Performance of the Night” twice and “Fight of the Night” once.

4: Sub-minute finishes on the Chandler resume. He took care of Salvador Woods with a rear-naked choke in 59 seconds at Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” on May 15, 2010, turned away Chris Page with a guillotine choke in 57 seconds at Bellator 32 on Oct. 14, 2010, wiped out Akihiro Gono with punches at Bellator 67 on May 4, 2012 and punched out David Rickels in 44 seconds at Bellator 97 on July 31, 2013.

.818: Cumulative winning percentage between the six opponents—Alvarez, Gaethje, Oliveira, Will Brooks (twice), Patricio Freire and Brent Primus—who have beaten Chandler. They boast a combined record of 155-34-1.