UFC Fight Night 226 pre-event facts: Rose Namajunas brings decorated resume to new division
The UFC travels to France for the second time in promotional history Saturday with UFC Fight Night 226, which takes place at Accor Arena in Paris and streams entirely on ESPN+.
Former interim heavyweight champion and France’s own Ciryl Gane (11-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) headlines the card on home soil for the second consecutive year. In his first fight since losing to Jon Jones in March, “Bon Gamin” will face the streaking Serghei Spivac (16-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a five-round clash. The event also features the return of former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) making her flyweight debut against top contender Manon Fiorot (10-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC).
For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 226.
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Ciryl Gane
Gane is the only French-born fighter in history to win a version of a UFC title.
Gane is one of 15 fighters in history to win a version of a UFC title with an undefeated record.
Gane is one of three heavyweights in modern UFC history to start his career 7-0 inside the octagon. Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos also accomplished the feat.
Gane lands 59.8 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the division.
Gane defends 62.6 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Gane’s +82 significant strike differential against Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 is the largest margin in a UFC heavyweight title fight.
Serghei Spivac
Spivac’s three-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Sergei Pavlovich (six) and Martin Buday (four).
Spivac has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 10 of those wins in Round 1.
Spivac complete 65.9 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Spivac is one of 11 fighters to land 20 or more takedowns in UFC heavyweight competition.
Spivac’s 27 takedowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are third-most in divisional history behind Curtis Blaydes (62) and Cain Velasquez (34).
Manon Fiorot
Manon Fiorot’s (10-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at women’s flyweight is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Erin Blanchfield (six).
Fiorot’s two knockout victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Valentina Shevchenko (four) and Maycee Barber (three).
Fiorot defends 71.7 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC women’s flyweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Rose Namajunas
Rose Namajunas (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC), a former two-time UFC strawweight champion, moves up to the women’s flyweight division for the first time in her career.
Namajunas was the female in UFC history to have multiple title reigns in a single weight class. She’s one of three fighters to accomplish the feat, along with Amanda Nunes and Carla Esparza.
Namajunas’ nine victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Joanna Jedrzejczyk (10) and Esparza (10).
Namajunas’ five stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied with Amanda Lemos and Jessica Andrade for most in divisional history.
Namajunas’ four knockdowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Lemos (five).
Namajunas’ three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Mackenzie Dern (four).
Namajunas’ submission of Paige VanZant at the 2:25 mark of Round 5 at UFC Fight Night 80 is the latest stoppage in UFC strawweight history.
Namajunas’ six fight-night bonuses for UFC strawweight bouts are second-most in divisional history behind Andrade (eight).
Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Thiago Moises
Benoit Saint-Denis (11-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has earned all 11 of his career victories by stoppage.
Zarah Fairn vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti
Zarah Fairn’s (6-5 MMA, 0-3 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of her career. She hasn’t earned a victory since December 2017.
Ange Loosa vs. Rhys McKee
Rhys McKee (13-4-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC) returns to the UFC for the first time since November 2020. He went 3-0 between stints with the organization.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 226.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
