UFC 309 pre-event facts: Card features all-time leaders in several notable categories

The UFC makes its annual November stop at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday with UFC 309, which has a main card on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

One of the longest builds to a heavyweight title fight in company history will finally come to a conclusion in the main event when champion Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) returns from injury after 20 months to take on former champion Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC), who hasn't fought since March 2021.

For more on the numbers behind the Jones vs. Miocic headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie's pre-event facts about UFC 309.

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Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

Jon Jones

Jones owns or is on the verge of owning numerous key UFC records. Check out his complete stat sheet to see where he stands in company history ahead of UFC 309.

Stipe Miocic

Miocic returns to competition for the first time since March 27, 2021. The 1,330-day layoff is the longest of his nearly 15-year career.

Miocic is one of four heavyweight champions in UFC history to have multiple reigns.

Miocic can become the second fighter in UFC history to have three title reigns in a single weight class. Randy Couture also accomplished the feat.

Miocic's six UFC heavyweight title fight victories are the most in history.

Miocic's three consecutive UFC heavyweight title defense during his first reign were the most of any champion in divisional history.

Miocic's 14 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are fifth most in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (23), Derrick Lewis (19), Frank Mir (16) and Junior Dos Santos (15).

Miocic's nine knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fifth-most in divisional history behind Lewis (15), Dos Santos (10), Francis Ngannou (10) and Cain Velasquez (10).

Miocic's stoppage victory over Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 despite a -58 significant strike deficit is the second largest comeback in a UFC title fight behind Anderson Silva's win over Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 (-60).

Miocic and Cormier combined for 304 significant strikes landed at UFC 241, the single-fight record for a UFC heavyweight fight.

Miocic is the only fighter in UFC history to face the same opponent in three consecutive bouts with his trilogy against Cormier.

Miocic's nine fight-night bonuses for UFC heavyweight bouts are the most in divisional history.

Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler

Charles Oliveira

Charles Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) won the title for the first time in his 28th UFC bout, the record for most appearances in company history.

Oliveira's 22 UFC victories are tied for fourth-most in company history behind Jim Miller (26), Andrei Arlovski (23) and Donald Cerrone (23).

Oliveira's 20 stoppage victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Oliveira's 14 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Miller (16).

Oliveira's 16 submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Oliveira's 10 submission victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Miller for most in divisional history.

Oliveira's six submission victories in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history. He hasn't competed at 145 pounds since August 2016.

Oliveira's five guillotine-choke submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Oliveira's three anaconda choke submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn submission victories with six different techniques. Frank Mir also accomplished the feat.

Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a calf-slicer submission victory. Brett Johns also accomplished the feat.

Oliveira has been awarded 19 fight-night bonuses for UFC bouts, the most in company history.

Oliveira has been awarded 13 Performance of the Night bonuses, the most in company history.

Oliveira is one of two fighters in UFC history to be awarded five or more fight-night bonuses in two separate divisions. Nate Diaz also accomplished the feat.

Michael Chandler

Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Nov. 12, 2022. The 735-day layoff is the longest of his more than 15-year career.

Chandler is a three-time Bellator lightweight champion.

Chandler is one of four fighters in Bellator/UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce history with three title reigns in a single weight class. Couture, Douglas Lima and Patricio Freire also accomplished the feat.

Chandler has earned 18 of his 23 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished both of his UFC wins by knockout.

Chandler is one of nine fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a front kick. He accomplished the feat vs. Tony Ferguson at UFC 274.

Chandler is one of eight fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a front kick to the head. He accomplished the feat vs. Ferguson at UFC 274.

Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva

Viviane Araujo's (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) five decision victories in UFC women's flyweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Katlyn Cerminara (nine).

Karine Silva's (18-4 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at women's flyweight is the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Manon Fiorot (seven), Maycee Barber (six) and Natalia Silva (six).

Silva's has earned 17 of her 18 career victories by stoppage. She's finished 13 of those wins in Round 1.

Silva's three submission victories in UFC women's flyweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Gillian Robertson (six).

Silva is the only female in UFC history to earn three consecutive victories by first-round submission.

Silva is one of three females in UFC history to earn a submission victory by D'Arce choke. She accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 207. Tatiana Suarez and Jasmine Jasudavicius also won with the technique.

Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig

Bo Nickal (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all six of his career victories by stoppage.

Paul Craig (17-8-1 MMA, 9-8-1 UFC) is 1-2 since he dropped to the middleweight division in July 2023.

Craig's six submission victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Glover Teixeira (seven).

Craig's four submission victories by triangle choke are the most in UFC history.

Craig's victory at 4:59 of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 127 is the latest submission in a three-round UFC fight.

Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee

Jonathan Martinez's (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) nine knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for fifth-most in divisional history behind Montel Jackson (11), Marlon Vera (10), Petr Yan (10) and Cody Garbrandt (10).

Martinez is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn multiple leg kick TKO victories. Edson Barboza also accomplished the feat.

Marcus McGhee (9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage.

Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson

Jim Miller's (37-17 MMA, 26-16 UFC) competes in his 45th UFC bout, the most appearances in company history. His 42nd lightweight appearance is the divisional record.

Miller's total fight time of 6:47:47 in UFC lightweight competition is most in divisional history.

Miller's 26 victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Miller's 23 victories in UFC lightweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Miller's 18 stoppage victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Oliveira (20).

Miller's 16 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are most in divisional history.

Miller's 48 submission attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Miller's 12 submission victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Oliveira (16).

Miller's 10 submission victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Oliveira for most in divisional history.

Miller's 15 fight-night bonuses for UFC lightweight bouts are tied for fourth-most in company history behind Oliveira (19), Cerrone (18) and Diaz (16).

Miller's 14 fight-night bonuses for UFC lightweight bouts are tied with Cerrone for second-most in divisional history behind Joe Lauzon (15).

Damon Jackson (23-7-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC) moves up to the UFC lightweight division for the first time since his unsuccessful promotional debut at UFC 177 in August 2014.

Jackson is 6-4 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September 2020.

Jackson is the only fighter in UFC history to have a record of 1-1-1 with one no contest in his first four octagon appearances.

Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders

Chris Weidman (16-7 MMA, 12-7 UFC) became the first male fighter in UFC history to win a championship with an undefeated record and go on to successfully defend the belt more than once when he defeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 175.

Weidman's four victories in UFC middleweight championship fights are third-most in history behind A. Silva (11) and Israel Adesanya (eight).

Weidman has completed at least one takedown in 17 of his 19 UFC appearances.

Weidman's 43 takedowns landed in UFC middleweight competition are most in divisional history.

Mickey Gall vs. Ramiz Brahimaj

Mickey Gall's (7-6 MMA, 6-6 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn't earned a victory since July 2021.

Gall's five submission victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth-most run divisional history behind Gunnar Nelson (seven), Demian Maia (six) and Chris Lytle (six).

Gall's five rear-naked choke submission wins in UFC competition are tied for seventh-most in company history behind Maia (nine), Kenny Florian (seven), Brendan Allen (six), Renato Moicano (six), Michael Chiesa (six) and Oliveira (six).

Ramiz Brahimaj (10-5 MMA, 2-3 UFC) has alternated losses and wins over his past 10 fights dating back to May 2018. He was defeated in his most recent bout at UFC Fight Night 241.

Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura

Veronica Hardy (9-4-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) is 4-2 since she dropped to the UFC women's flyweight division in May 2018.

Hardy's four-fight UFC winning streak at women's flyweight is the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Fiorot (seven), Barber (six) and N. Silva (six).

Hardy absorbs just 2.33 significant strikes per minute in UFC women's flyweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Valentina Shevchenko (1.75).

Hardy's two fight-night bonuses for UFC women's flyweight bouts are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Molly McCann (three).

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 309.

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 309 pre-event facts: Card features all-time leaders in several notable categories