UFC on ESPN 29 pre-event facts: Kelvin Gastelum seeks main event success
The UFC returns from a week off on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 29, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a main card on ESPN following prelims on ESPN2.
A middleweight matchup headlines the event. Jared Cannonier (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) and Kelvin Gastelum (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) will attempt to move up a rung in the title pecking order when they clash in a bout scheduled for five rounds.
For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 16 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 29.
Jared Cannonier vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Jared Cannonier
Cannonier is 3-1 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in November 2018. Cannonier is one of 12 fighters in UFC history to win fights in three weight classes. He’s been victorious at middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. Cannonier is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn knockout victories in three weight classes. Conor McGregor also accomplished the feat. Cannonier has earned all five of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout. That includes all three of his middleweight wins. Gastelum competes in his sixth UFC headliner. He's 1-3 with one no contest in previous main events. Gastelum is 5-5 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC middleweight division in December 2016.
Clay Guida vs. Mark Madsen
Clay Guida
[autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag] (36-20 MMA, 16-14 UFC) is 4-3 since he returned to the UFC lightweight division in June 2017. Guida's 70 takedowns landed in UFC competition are tied for fourth most in company history behind Georges St-Pierre (90), Gleison Tibau (84) and Demetrious Johnson (74). Guida has achieved 1:53:17 of total control time in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history. His 1:24:02 of top position time also ranks highest in divisional history.
Parker Porter vs. Chase Sherman
Chase Sherman
[autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag] (13-7 MMA, 3-6 UFC) is 1-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in May 2020. Sherman lands 6.0 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition, the second highest rate in divisional history behind Cain Velasquez (6.48).
Vinc Pichel vs. Austin Hubbard
Vinc Pichel
[autotag]Vinc Pichel[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is 4-1 since he returned from a career-long layoff that lasted from May 2014 to June 2017. Pichel has earned five of his six UFC victories by decision. Pichel lands 60.6 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the second-highest rate among active fighters in the division behind Islam Makhachev (65.7 percent). [autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past seven fights. He won his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN 22 in April.
Brian Kelleher vs. Domingo Pilarte
Brian Kelleher
[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]'s (22-12 MMA, 6-5 UFC) average fight time of 7:17 in UFC bantamweight competition is second shortest among active fights in the weight class behind Louis Smolka (5:05). UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
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