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TOTAL NUMBER OF UFC FIGHTS: 5,541
TOTAL NUMBER OF UFC EVENTS: 511
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday returned to Norfolk, Virginia, for the first time since 2017 and did so with a card that was low on name recognition but sky-high on violence and intensity. UFC Fight Night 169 featured a de facto women’s featherweight contender tournament, an empty flyweight throne and the most controversial 38-second brawl in quite some time.
THERE IS NO COW TITLE: Deiveson Figueiredo missed the flyweight championship limit by 2.5 pounds, and although he knocked out Joseph Benavidez, he was ineligible to win the title. The flyweight belt is now vacant.
A GRAND DON’T COME FOR FREE: Missing weight took a huge toll on Figueiredo. In addition to losing the ability to become champion, he forfeited 30 percent of his total purse, saw his Reebok Compliance pay reduced from $30,000 to $5,000 and was ineligible for a $50,000 post-fight bonus he would have likely otherwise earned.
A BULKED-UP FLY: Although it did not technically take place in a flyweight contest, Figueiredo earned his fifth stoppage win in bouts originally scheduled at 125 pounds. He ties with John Moraga for the fifth-most in divisional history, and trails only Benavidez (six) and Demetrious Johnson (seven).
A DEUS DA GUERRA: Fifteen of Figueiredo’s 18 career wins have come by stoppage. The flyweight now holds a finish rate of 83 percent, which is higher than all but one of the current Top 10 flyweights: Rogerio Bontorin (87 percent).
THE LITTLE FLY THAT COULDN’T: The knockout was Figueiredo’s fourth in the UFC. He joins Dustin Ortiz and John Lineker for the second-most KOs at flyweight, with only Benavidez (five) having posted more.
BUSY BENAVIDEZ: Though it came in a losing effort, Benavidez appeared for the 17th time as a flyweight. In doing so, he added to his record for the most 125-pound outings in company history.
125-POUND POP: In suffering a knockout loss, Benavidez became the second fighter in UFC flyweight history to win and lose multiple bouts by knockouts. While he has finished five opponents with strikes, his previous knockout defeat came at Johnson’s hands at UFC on Fox 9 in 2013.
THE DIVISION REVOLVES AROUND THEM: Megan Anderson and Felicia Spencer prevailed in their bouts by first-round knockout and did so within six seconds of one another. At least one of the two has competed in each of the last six bouts at women’s featherweight, which consists of all of the fights since Amanda Nunes stopped Cristiane Justino to win the 145-pound title.
BOMBERWOMEN 64: With the pair of knockouts scored by Anderson and Spencer, the women’s featherweight division in its short history now sports a finish rate of 64 percent. In comparison, the organization’s overall stoppage rate sits at about 54 percent.
THE NEW VITOR: Magomed Ankalaev defeated Ion Cutelaba in extremely controversial fashion with a series of kicks and punches just 38 seconds into their bout. If the result stands—Cutelaba has stated he plans to appeal the decision—Ankalaev will have expanded his record as the only UFC light heavyweight to finish multiple opponents with kicks. While 13 other light heavyweights have knocked out one adversary with kicks, Ankalaev has done so three times.
NO ONE SHOULD FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT: Although he was not separated from his senses and did not fail to intelligently defend himself, Cutelaba was bestowed the first knockout loss of his career.
MEGAN MASH: Anderson became the seventh female fighter and second featherweight to record a one-punch knockout when she starched Norma Dumont Viana. Six of those seven finishes have earned the victor—the list now includes Anderson—a post-fight bonus, with each of those six taking place in Round 1.
THE DOUBLE-EDGED PICKAXE: Grant Dawson tapped Darrick Minner with a rear-naked choke in the second round. Across Minner’s 35 career bouts, 29 of them have ended via submission, win or lose.
LOOKED LIKE A BREEZE: Brendan Allen dispatched Tom Breese in the opening frame. Thirteen of his 14 career victories have come in the first round.
BACK TO HIBERNATION: In dropping a decision to Marcin Tybura, Sergey Spivak went the distance for the first time in his career. “The Polar Bear” had never fought beyond the 9:34 mark in any prior bout.
WHERE WAS THE VON PREUX?: In a major comeback, Jordan Griffin put T.J. Brown to sleep with a guillotine choke while on his back. In doing so, he became the third featherweight to render an opponent unconscious with this type of choke. Of note, Gabriel Benitez has done so twice.
MISCHIEVOUS AND DECEITFUL, CHICANEROUS AND DEPLORABLE: Spike Carlyle delivered an emphatic knockout to Aalon Cruz in under 90 seconds, making a successful promotional debut and advancing his high finish rate to 89 percent. Each of the last three wins for “The Alpha Ginger” have come by first-round knockout.
ACCUSTOMED TO TAKING HIS TIME: Sean Brady remained unbeaten as a professional at 12-0 when he took a decision from Ismail Naurdiev. The 27-year-old has gone three full rounds—or more—in each of his last five bouts.
NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN: Coming into UFC Fight Night 169, Viana had never been defeated (four fights), five fighters on the card had never been knocked out and Ankalaev (14 fights), Spivak (11 fights) and Zarah Fairn dos Santos (nine fights) had never competed in the United States.
THIS TITLE WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE SECONDS: Figueiredo is the first fighter to ever walk out with the “Mission Impossible” theme song playing behind him. Though he prevailed in the main event, it was impossible for him to become flyweight champion at the end of the night.
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT WE CAN FIND: Allen is the second recorded UFC fighter and the first since 2015 to walk out to a Steppenwolf song. He made his way to the Octagon accompanied by “Magic Carpet Ride” and won by knockout.
DO YOU WANT TO GO TO WAR, B-LAKE?: Steve Garcia is the first fighter in recorded UFC walkout music history to utilize a song from country artist Blake Shelton. He walked out to “God’s Country” and dropped a decision to Luis Pena.