The UFC’s penultimate stop at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas goes down Saturday with UFC Fight Night 245, which streams on ESPN+.
Streaking middleweights meet in the main event, with Michel Pereira (30-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC) looking to extend an eight-fight winning streak in the octagon against Anthony Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), who has won his past five contests.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 245.
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Michel Pereira vs. Anthony Hernandez
Michel Pereira
Pereira is 3-0 since he moved up to the middleweight division in October 2023.
Pereira’s eight-fight UFC winning streak is tied with Dricus Du Plessis, Movsar Evloev and Ian Machado Garry for the third-longest among active fighters in the company behind Islam Makhachev (13) and Merab Dvalishvili (11).
Anthony Hernandez
Hernandez’s five-fight UFC winning streak at middleweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Du Plessis (eight) and Caio Borralho (seven).
Hernandez has earned 10 of his 12 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished four of his six UFC victories by submission.
Hernandez lands 59.1 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the second-highest rate among active fighters in the weight class behind Christian Leroy Duncan (62.5 percent).
Hernandez is the only fighter in UFC history to earn a victory and suffer a loss by anaconda choke submission.
Rob Font vs. Kyler Phillips
Rob Font (20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC) is 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to December 2021.
Font’s seven stoppage victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Marlon Vera (10) and T.J. Dillashaw (eight).
Font’s six knockout victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Dillashaw (seven).
Font landed 271 significant strikes vs. “Chito” Vera at UFC on ESPN 35, the single-fight record for a UFC bantamweight bout.
Font’s six fight-night bonuses for UFC featherweight bouts are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Sean O’Malley (nine), Dillashaw (eight) and Pedro Munhoz (seven).
Kyler Phillips (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is one of 12 fighters in UFC history to earn a triangle/armbar submission victory. He accomplished the feat at UFC 271.
Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji
Charles Johnson (16-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) becomes the first fighter to make four UFC appearances in 2024.
Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda
Darren Elkins (28-11 MMA, 18-10 UFC) competes in his 27th UFC featherweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Elkins’ 17 UFC featherweight victories are second most in divisional history behind Max Holloway (20).
Elkins’ 11 decision victories in UFC featherweight competition are most in divisional history.
Elkins has landed 2,501 total strikes in UFC featherweight competition, the second-most in divisional history behind Holloway (3,096).
Elkins’ six stoppage victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Holloway (11), Brian Ortega (seven) and Ricardo Lamas (seven).
Elkins’ 61 takedowns landed in UFC featherweight competition are most in divisional history.
Elkins’ 25 submission attempts in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Daniel Pineda (28-16 MMA, 5-7 UFC) is 2-3 with one no contest since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in August 2020.
Pineda’s four submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Charles Oliveira (six), who hasn’t competed at 145 pounds since August 2016.
Matheus Nicolau vs. Abu Almabaev
Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is 4-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in March 2021.
Nicolau is 6-3 since he dropped to the UFC flyweight division in July 2016.
Nicolau’s six knockdowns landed in UFC flyweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Deiveson Figueiredo (11), Kai Kara-France (eight) and John Lineker (seven).
Nicolau defends 66.1 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Asu Almabayev’s (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) 16-fight MMA winning streak is longest among active fighters in the UFC flyweight division.
Brad Katona vs. Jean Matsumoto
Brad Katona (14-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) is the only two-time winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Fight Night 245 pre-event facts: Charles Johnson first to four UFC fights in 2024
