Can Alexander Volkanovski overcome history?

Volkanovski is the only Australia-born champion in UFC history.

Volkanovski can become the first fighter in UFC history to win an undisputed championship after back-to-back losses. He’s the seventh fighter to compete in title bout after back-to-back losses (the group is 1-5), with Randy Couture getting the lone victory to claim an interim belt.

Volkanovski is one of four fighters in UFC history to make a title defense after losing a championship bout (the group is 4-0), along with Israel Adesanya, Max Holloway and B.J. Penn. He accomplished the feat at UFC 290.

Volkanovski’s six victories in UFC featherweight championship bouts are second-most in divisional history behind Jose Aldo (eight).

Volkanovski is one of four fighters in UFC history to start 12-0 with the promotion. Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman and Khabib Nurmagomedov also accomplished the feat.

Volkanovski is 1-3 in his past four fights dating back to February 2023.

Volkanovski’s average fight time of 16:54 in UFC featherweight competition is the longest in divisional history.

Lopes’ four-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Movsar Evloev (eight), Lerone Murphy (eight) and Ilia Topuria (seven).

Lopes has earned 21 of his 25 career victories by stoppage. That includes three of his five UFC wins.

Lopes’ average fight time of 6:55 in UFC featherweight competition is the shortest among active fighters in the weight class.

Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett

Michael Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) 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. Randy 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 eight fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a front kick to the face. 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.

Chandler has been awarded a fight-night bonus in five of his six UFC appearances.

Paddy Pimblett’s (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) six-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Islam Makhachev (14).

Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva

Bryce Mitchell (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is 2-2 in his past four fights after starting his career 15-0.

Mitchell absorbs just 1.53 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Rani Yahya (1.05) and Pat Sabatini (1.22).

Mitchell lands 59.6 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Jack Jenkins (59.7 percent).

Mitchell is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a Twister submission victory. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 7. Chan Sung Jung and Da’Mon Blackshear also won with the technique.

Jean Silva (15-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all four of his UFC wins by knockout.

Silva’s four-fight UFC knockout streak is tied for second-longest among active fighters in the company behind Steve Garcia (five).

Silva’s two UFC victories in a 14-day stretch between UFC 303 and UFC on ESPN 59 is tied for the third-shortest turnaround in modern company history. Khamzat Chimaev holds the record at 10 days.

Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Freire

Yair Rodriguez (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since February 2023.

Rodriguez’s knockout of Jung at the 4:59 mark of Round 5 at UFC Fight Night 139 is tied with Demetrious Johnson’s finish at UFC 186 for the latest stoppage in a UFC fight.

Rodriguez’s nine fight-night bonuses for UFC featherweight bouts are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Cub Swanson (11) and Holloway (10).

Patricio Freire (36-7 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a former two-division Bellator champion, makes his promotional debut.

Freire is one of three fighters in Bellator history to have three separate title reigns in a single weight class. Chandler and Douglas Lima also accomplished the feat.

Freire, a former lightweight champion, is the only fighter in Bellator history with four separate championship reigns.

Freire is one of two simultaneous two-division champions in Bellator history. Ryan Bader also accomplished the feat.

Freire is one of three fighters in Bellator history to win titles in two weight classes. Bader and Joe Warren also accomplished the feat.

Freire has the most fights (30), victories (24) and stoppage victories (15) in the history of the now-defunct Bellator organization.

Freire competed in the most title fights (18) and earned the most title fight victories (15) in Bellator history.

Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes

Nikita Krylov (29-9 MMA, 11-7 UFC) is 5-4 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September 2018.

Krylov is 13-6 since he dropped to the light heavyweight division in March 2014.

Krylov has earned 27 of his 29 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 22 of those wins in Round 1.

Dominick Reyes (14-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has earned 11 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes five of his eight UFC wins.

Reyes’ 29-second knockout of Joachim Christensen at UFC Fight Night 112 marked the second fastest stoppage by any debuting light heavyweight in UFC history behind Ryan Jimmo’s seven-second win at UFC 149.

Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson

Dan Ige (18-9 MMA, 10-8 UFC) is one of two featherweights in UFC/WEC combined history to earn multiple knockout wins in less than one minute. Chan Sung Jung also accomplished the feat.

Sean Woodson’s (13-1-1 MMA, 7-1-1 UFC) eight-fight UFC unbeaten streak at featherweight is tied with Evloev for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Murphy (nine).

Woodson defends 91.1 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Julio Arce (95.2 percent) and Shane Burgos (91.5 percent).

Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba

Yan Xiaonan’s (16-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) average fight time of 15:02 in UFC strawweight competition is second-longest in divisional history behind Joanna Jedrzejczyk (18:09).

Xiaonan has earned eight of her nine UFC victories by decision.

Xiaonan’s eight decision victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Angela Hill (nine).

Virna Jandiroba’s (21-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Zhang Weili (five).

Jandiroba’s four stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for fifth-most in divisional history behind Jessica Andrade (six), Rose Namajunas (five), Amanda Lemos (five) and Mackenzie Dern (five).

Jandiroba’s three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Dern (five).

Jandiroba has landed at least one takedown against nine of her 10 UFC opponents.

Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper

Jim Miller (38-18 MMA, 27-17 UFC) competes in his 46th UFC bout, the most appearances in company history. His 43rd lightweight appearance is the divisional record.

Miller’s total fight time of 6:50:31 in UFC lightweight competition is most in divisional history.

Miller’s 27 victories in UFC competition are most in company history.

Miller’s 24 victories in UFC lightweight competition are the most in divisional history.

Miller’s 19 stoppage victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Charles Oliveira (20).

Miller’s 17 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are most in divisional history.

Miller’s 49 submission attempts in UFC competition are the most in company history.

Miller’s 13 submission victories in UFC competition are second-most in company history behind Oliveira (16).

Miller’s 11 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 (20), Donald Cerrone (18) and Nate Diaz (16).

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

Chase Hooper (14-3-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is 4-0 since he moved up to the lightweight division in May 2023.

Hooper has earned 12 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. That includes six of his seven UFC wins.

Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa

Darren Elkins (29-11 MMA, 19-10 UFC) competes in his 28th UFC featherweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.

Elkins’ 18 UFC featherweight victories are second most in divisional history behind Holloway (20).

Elkins’ 12 decision victories in UFC featherweight competition are most in divisional history.

Elkins has landed 2,603 total strikes in UFC featherweight competition, the second-most in divisional history behind Holloway (3,180).

Elkins’ six stoppage victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for fifth-most in divisional history behind Holloway (11), Brian Ortega (seven), Ricardo Lamas (seven) and Swanson (seven).

Elkins’ 64 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.

Julian Erosa (29-11 MMA, 8-7 UFC) is 7-3 since he returned to the UFC for a third stint in June 2020.

Erosa’s average fight time of 6:59 in UFC featherweight competition is second-shortest among active fighters in the weight class behind Lopes (6:55).

Michal Oleksiejczuk’s (19-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since August 2023.

Oleksiejczuk is 3-4 since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in August 2022.

Oleksiejczuk’s average fight time of 4:59 in UFC middleweight competition is the shortest among active fighters in the weight class.

Su Mudaerji’s (16-7 MMA, 3-4 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since January 2021.

Mudaerji is 2-2 since he dropped to the UFC flyweight division in November 2020.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.