UFC 320 pre-event facts: Merab Dvalishvili can join exclusive club with third 2025 defense

The final stretch of UFC pay-per-view events begins Saturday with UFC 320. The first of four numbered cards to close out 2025 goes down at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/ESPN+/Disney+/FX, ESPN+) and features two championship bouts at the top of the bill.

Headlining the night will be a light heavyweight title rematch, with Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) attempting to make his first defense against Alex Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), whom he took the belt from by unanimous decision at UFC 313 in March.

The co-headliner, meanwhile, will see bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) attempt join an exclusive group with a third title defense in a calendar year when he clashes with Cory Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC).

For more on the numbers around both title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie's pre-event facts for UFC 320.

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev

Ankalaev is one of 18 undisputed UFC light heavyweight champions, and the only one from Russia.

Ankalaev's 14-fight UFC unbeaten streak is fifth-longest in company history behind Jon Jones (20), Anderson Silva (16), Kamaru Usman (15) and Islam Makhachev (15).

Ankalaev's 14-fight UFC unbeaten streak at light heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division. He hasn't suffered a defeat since September 2018.

Ankalaev's 14-fight UFC unbeaten streak at light heavyweight is the second-longest in divisional history behind Jones (18).

Ankalaev's 14-fight UFC unbeaten streak at light heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Ankalaev's six knockout victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Chuck Liddell (10), Mauricio Rua (eight) and Khalil Rountree (seven).

Ankalaev defends 87.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.

Alex Pereira

Pereira is one of 10 fighters in history to win titles in two weight classes. Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, Amanda Nunes, Jon Jones and Ilia Topuria accomplished the feat.

Pereira's 11 MMA fights before becoming a two-division champion are the fewest in company history.

Pereira's seven UFC fights to become a two-division champion are the fewest in company history.

Pereira's eight MMA fights before becoming UFC champion is the second-fewest in modern history behind Brock Lesnar's four.

Pereira is one of seven fighters to record three UFC title defenses in a calendar year (2024). Frank Shamrock (1998), Tito Ortiz (2001), Matt Hughes (2002), Liddell (2006), Demetrious Johnson (2013) and Kamaru Usman (2021) have also accomplished the feat.

Pereira holds the record for shortest time between three UFC title defenses at 175 days. Ronda Rousey is in second place at 189 days.

Pereira's four victories in UFC light heavyweight championship fights are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Jones (14) and Liddell (five).

Pereira is 5-1 since he moved up to the light heavyweight division in July 2023.

Pereira lands 64.4 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen

Merab Dvalishvili

Dvalishvili is one of two Georgian champions in UFC history. Ilia Topuria also accomplished the feat.

Dvalishvili is one of nine undisputed bantamweight champions in UFC history.

Dvalishvili is one of three fighters in UFC history to win an undisputed championship after starting 0-2 in the promotion. Rafael dos Anjos and Miesha Tate also accomplished the feat.

Dvalishvili can become the eighth fighter in UFC history to make three title defenses in a calendar year.

Dvalishvili's 13-fight UFC winning streak is the second-longest active streak in the company behind Makhachev (15).

Dvalishvili's 13-fight UFC winning streak is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in company history behind Silva (16), Usman (15) and Makhachev (15).

Dvalishvili's 12-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the longest active streak in the division.

Dvalishvili’s 12-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is the longest streak in divisional history.

Dvalishvili's 12 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Aljamain Sterling (14), T.J. Dillashaw (13) and Marlon Vera (13).

Dvalishvili's 10 decision victories in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.

Dvalishvili has landed 97 takedowns in UFC competition, the most in company history.

Dvalishvili is the only fighter in history to land 10 or more takedowns in four separate UFC bouts.

Dvalishvili attempted 49 takedowns at UFC Fight Night 221, the single-fight record for a UFC bout.

Dvalishvili has landed 2,233 total strikes in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.

Dvalishvili out-landed Marlon Moraes by 212 total strikes at UFC 266, the largest differential in a single UFC/WEC bantamweight bout.

Cory Sandhagen

Sandhagen's 28-second knockout victory at UFC Fight Night 184 marked the second-fastest flying knee finish in UFC history behind Jorge Masvidal's five-second win at UFC 239.

Sandhagen is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn knockouts stemming from a flying knee and a spinning wheel kick. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and Edson Barboza also accomplished the feat.

Sandhagen is one of 16 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning wheel kick. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 179.

Sandhagen and Font landed 43 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 50, the second lowest single-fight total in UFC history for a non-title, five-round bout that went to a decision. It was the fourth lowest overall in company history.

Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has earned 30 of his 31 career victories by stoppage. That includes all five of his UFC wins.

Prochazka's victory at the 4:32 mark of Round 5 at UFC 275 is the third-latest finish in UFC championship fight behind Demetrious Johnson's win at UFC 186 (4:59 of Round 5) and Max Holloway's win at UFC 300 (4:59 of Round 5).

**Prochazka is one of 12 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning back elbow. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 23.

Khalil Rountree Jr.'s (14-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) seven knockout victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are third-most in divisional history behind Liddell (nine) and Rua (eight).

Rountree Jr.'s 14 knockdowns landed in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Liddell and Rua for most in divisional history.

Rountree Jr.'s four knockdowns landed at UFC 236 are the single-fight record for a UFC light heavyweight bout.

Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal

Josh Emmett (19-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is 8-4 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in October 2017.

Emmett's 12 knockdowns landed in UFC featherweight competition are most in divisional history.

Emmett's four knockdowns of Felipe Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118 are tied for fourth-most in a UFC fight. Only Steven Nguyen (six) at UFC on ABC 8, Jeremy Stephens (five) at UFC 215 and Forrest Petz (five) at UFC Fight Night 6 have scored more knockdowns in a fight.

Emmett is one of two fighters in UFC history to land four knockdowns in a single round. He accomplished the feat against Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118. Nguyen also accomplished the feat.

Youssef Zalal (17-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) is 4-0 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in March 2024.

Zalal absorbs just 1.70 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, tied for the fourth-best rate in divisional history behind Rani Yahya (1.05), Pat Sabatini (1.22) and Bryce Mitchell (1.64).

Zalal defends 67.5 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.

Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer

Abus Magomedov (28-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) completes 57.1 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC middleweight competition, tied with Khamzat Chimaev for the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.

Chris Gutierrez vs. Farid Basharat

**Chris Gutierrez (22-6-2 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC) is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning backfist. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 33.

Gutierrez is the only fighter in UFC history to earn knockouts by knee, spinning backfist and leg kicks.

Gutierrez lands 59.2 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC bantamweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Sean O'Malley (61.2 percent).

Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos

Macy Chiasson's (10-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at women's bantamweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Ailin Perez (five).

Chiasson's four stoppage victories in UFC women's bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Nunes (eight) and Ronda Rousey (six).

Chiasson's three knockout victories in UFC women's bantamweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Nunes (six).

Yana Santos (16-8 MMA, 6-5 UFC) is 6-3 since she returned to the UFC women's bantamweight division in October 2018.

Santos lands 58.3 percent of her significant strike attempts in UFC women's bantamweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Mayra Bueno Silva (64.8 percent).

Santos has earned all six of her UFC victories by decision.

**Santos lands 58.5 percent of her significant strike attempts in UFC women's bantamweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Mayra Bueno Silva (64.8 percent).

Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov

Punahele Soriano (11-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) is 2-0 since he dropped to the UFC welterweight division in June 2024.

**Soriano landed 136 significant ground strikes at UFC on ESPN 57, the single-fight record for a UFC bout.

**Soriano outlanded his opponent by +309 total strikes at UFC on ESPN 57, the single-fight record for a three-round UFC bout.

**Soriano outlanded his opponent by +137 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 57, the single-fight record for a UFC welterweight bout.

Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker

Veronica Hardy (9-5-1 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is 4-3 since she dropped to the UFC women's flyweight division in May 2018.

Hardy absorbs just 2.22 significant strikes per minute in UFC women's flyweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Valentina Shevchenko (1.86).

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

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 320 pre-event facts: Merab Dvalishvili can join exclusive club