UFC Fight Night 229 pre-event facts: Grant Dawson’s streak ranks among elite company
After a one-week hiatus, the UFC returns Saturday to kick off a loaded October schedule with UFC Fight Night 229, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.
A lightweight bout serves as the main event of the card. Grant Dawson (20-1-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) gets his first headlining opportunity when he takes on Bobby Green (30-15-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC), who looks to build momentum off his submission win over Tony Ferguson.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 229.
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Grant Dawson
Dawson is 4-0-1 since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in March 2020.
Dawson is one of 27 fighters in UFC history to record a nine-fight unbeaten streak. Only seven fighters in that group have failed to win an interim or undisputed UFC title.
Dawson’s nine-fight UFC unbeaten streak is tied for the sixth-longest among active fighters in the company behind Jon Jones (19), Islam Makhachev (12), Leon Edwards (12), Belal Muhammad (10) and Magomed Ankalaev (10).
Dawson’s five-fight UFC unbeaten streak in lightweight competition is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Makhachev (11).
Dawson’s knockout at the 4:59 mark of Round 3 at UFC on ESPN 21 is tied for the second latest stoppage in a three-round UFC fight. Ricky Simon holds the record (5:00, Round 3) at UFC Fight Night 128.
Bobby Green
Green has landed 1,637 significant strikes in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Green has landed 1,863 total strikes in UFC lightweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Green lands 6.28 significant strikes per minute in UFC lightweight competition, the second-best rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Justin Gaethje (7.35).
Joe Pyfer vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) is 2-2 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in April 2021.
Alhassan has earned all 12 of his career victories by knockout.
Alhassan’s 17-second knockout at UFC on ESPN 30 marked the fastest finish in UFC history stemming from a head kick.
Alex Morono vs. Joaquin Buckley
Alex Morono’s (23-8 MMA, 12-5 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Ian Machado Garry (six) and Jack Della Maddalena (six).
Joaquin Buckley (16-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is one of five fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back kick to the head, which he did at UFC on ESPN+ 37. Renan Barao, Uriah Hall, Natalia Silva and Magomed Mustafaev also accomplished the feat.
Drew Dober vs. Ricky Glenn
Drew Dober’s (26-12 MMA, 13-7 UFC) eight knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Dustin Poirier for most in divisional history.
Philipe Lins vs. Ion Cutelaba
Philipe Lins (16-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is 2-0 since he dropped to the UFC light heavyweight division in April 2022.
Ion Cutelaba’s (17-8-1 MMA, 6-7-1 UFC) is 2-5-1 in his past eight fights dating back to February 2020.
Cutelaba completes 58.6 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Lyoto Machida (65 percent).
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Diana Belbita
Karolina Kowalkiewicz (15-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC) competes in her 16th UFC strawweight bout, the third-most appearances in divisional history behind Angela Hill (22) and Randa Markos (18).
Kowalkiewicz’s three-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Tatiana Suarez (six), Loopy Godinez (five) and Tabatha Ricci (four).
Kowalkiewicz has seven of her eight UFC victories by decision.
Montana De La Rosa vs. JJ Aldrich
Montana De La Rosa (12-8-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) competes in her 11th UFC women’s flyweight bout, tied for the third-most appearances in divisional history behind Gillian Robertson (13) and Katlyn Chookagian (13).
De La Rosa’s four stoppage victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are third-most in history behind Robertson (seven) and Valentina Shevchenko (five).
De La Rosa’s three submission victories in UFC women’s flyweight competition are tied for the second-most in divisional history behind Robertson (six).
JJ Aldrich (12-6 MMA, 8-5 UFC) is 5-3 since she moved up to the UFC women’s flyweight division in March 2019.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
