The UFC returns to Manchester, England for the primary time since October 2016 on Saturday with UFC 304, which works down at Co-op Stay with a essential card on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

A doubleheader of championship fights sits on the prime of the invoice – and each of them function British titleholders making an attempt to defend their belts in rematches.

In the primary occasion, Leon Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) makes an attempt to make a 3rd consecutive welterweight title protection when he runs it again with Belal Muhammad (23-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC), who he fought to a no contest due an unintended eye poke at UFC Combat Night time 187 in March 2021.

The co-headliner, in the meantime, sees interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) try to avenge his lone octagon defeat in opposition to Curtis Blaydes(18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC), who bought a win by damage TKO simply 15 seconds into their preliminary assembly at UFC Combat Night time 208 in July 2022.

For extra on the numbers behind each matchups, in addition to the remainder of the cardboard, examine beneath for MMA Junkie’s pre-event info about UFC 305.

* * * *

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad

Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad at UFC Combat Night time 187

Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad at UFC Combat Night time 187 is one in every of two essential occasions in firm historical past to finish in a no contest resulting from a fouled fighter behind unable to proceed.

Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 is the fourth matchup in historical past to function two opponents on UFC unbeaten streaks of 10 or extra fights, becoming a member of Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman (UFC 278), Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira (UFC 280), and Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 284).

Edwards is the one Jamaican-born champion in UFC historical past.

Edwards is one in every of two undisputed British titleholders in UFC historical past. Michael Bisping additionally achieved the feat.

Edwards’ 13-fight UFC unbeaten streak is the third-longest energetic streak within the firm behind Jon Jones (18) and Islam Makhachev (14).

Edwards’ 13-fight UFC unbeaten streak at welterweight is the longest energetic streak within the division.

Edwards’ 13-fight UFC unbeaten streak at welterweight is the second-longest streak in divisional historical past behind Usman (15).

Edwards’ eight-second knockout of Seth Baczynski at UFC Combat Night time 64 is the third quickest in UFC welterweight historical past. Jorge Masvidal holds the document together with his five-second end of Ben Askren at UFC 239 this month.

Edwards’ victory at 4:59 of Spherical 3 at UFC Combat Night time 127 is tied for the second newest knockout in a three-fight UFC struggle behind Ricky Simon’s victory over Merab Dvalishvili at 5:00 of Spherical 3 at UFC Combat Night time 129.

Belal Muhammad

Belal Muhammad

Muhammad is 13-1 with one no contest in his previous 14 fights courting again to February 2017. His lone defeat got here in opposition to Geoff Neal at UFC on ESPN+ 1.

Muhammad’s 10-fight UFC unbeaten streak at welterweight is the second-longest energetic streak within the division behind Edwards (13).

Muhammad has earned 17 of his 23 profession victories by choice. That features 11 of his 14 UFC wins.

Muhammad’s 11 choice victories in UFC welterweight competitors are third-most in divisional historical past behind Neil Magny (14) and Georges St-Pierre (12).

Muhammad defends 93.3 p.c of opponent takedown makes an attempt in UFC welterweight competitors, the second-best fee in divisional historical past behind Kamaru Usman (97.3 p.c).

Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes

Tom Aspinall

Tom Aspinall

Aspinall has earned all 14 of his profession victories by stoppage.

Aspinall’s common struggle time of two:10 in UFC competitors is the shortest in firm historical past.

Aspinall lands 7.72 vital strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competitors, the best fee in divisional historical past.

Aspinall lands 7.72 vital strikes per minute in UFC competitors, the third-highest fee in divisional historical past behind Casey O’Neill (8.41) and Victor Henry (8.34).

Aspinall’s has spent one second of struggle time in backside place, the least of any fighter in UFC historical past with a minimal of 5 promotional appearances.

Curtis Blaydes

Curtis Blaydes

Blaydes is one in every of seven heavyweights in UFC historical past to achieve 13 octagon victories.

Blaydes’ three knockout victories stemming from elbow strikes in UFC competitors are tied with Paul Felder for many in firm historical past.

Blaydes absorbs simply 1.83 vital strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competitors, the second-best fee amongst energetic fighters within the weight class behind Jailton Almeida (0.77).

Blaydes’ 62 takedowns landed in UFC heavyweight competitors are most in divisional historical past.

Blaydes’ 14 takedowns landed in opposition to Alexander Volkov at UFC on ESPN 11 is the single-fight document for a UFC heavyweight bout.

Blaydes’ 14 takedowns landed at UFC on ESPN 11 are tied for the third-most in a single UFC struggle behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (21 at UFC 160) and Sean Sherk (16 at UFC 73).

King Inexperienced vs. Paddy Pimblett

King Inexperienced

King Inexperienced

King Inexperienced (32-15-1 MMA, 13-10-1 UFC) turns into the sixth fighter in historical past to make 25 or extra UFC light-weight appearances.

Inexperienced has landed 1,845 vital strikes in UFC light-weight competitors, essentially the most in divisional historical past.

Inexperienced has landed 2,072 complete strikes in UFC light-weight competitors, essentially the most in divisional historical past.

Inexperienced lands 6.61 vital strikes per minute in UFC light-weight competitors, the third-best fee amongst energetic fighters within the weight class behind Ignacio Bahamondes (7.08) and Justin Gaethje (6.78).

Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett

Paddy Pimblett’s (21-3 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC successful streak at light-weight is the second-longest energetic streak within the division behind Islam Makhachev (12).

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues

Christian Leroy Duncan

Christian Leroy Duncan (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has earned 9 of his 10 profession victories by stoppage. That features all three of his UFC wins.

Gregory Rodrigues’ (15-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) 5 knockout victories since 2020 in UFC middleweight competitors are most within the division.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze

Arnold Allen

Arnold Allen (19-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after happening a 12-fight successful streak. He hasn’t earned a victory since October 2022.

Allen is one in every of six fighters in UFC historical past to begin 10-0 within the octagon. Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman, Alexander Volkanovski, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Royce Gracie additionally achieved the feat.

Allen is one in every of 14 fighters in UFC historical past to earn 10 consecutive UFC victories.

Nathaniel Wooden vs. Daniel Pineda

Nathaniel Wooden

Nathaniel Wooden (20-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is 3-1 since he moved as much as the featherweight division in July 2022.

Daniel Pineda (28-15 MMA, 5-6 UFC) is 2-2 with one no contest since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in August 2020.

Pineda’s 4 submission victories in UFC featherweight competitors are tied for second-most in divisional historical past behind Charles Oliveira (six), who hasn’t competed at 145 kilos since August 2016.

Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil

Molly McCann

Molly McCann (14-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) was profitable in her strawweight debut at UFC Combat Night time 235 in February.

McCann one in every of two fighters in UFC historical past with a number of knockout victories stemming from a spinning again elbow. Ricardo Ramos additionally achieved the feat.

McCann is one in every of two fighters in UFC historical past to land 100 or extra vital strikes in three consecutive girls’s flyweight fights. Sabina Mazo additionally achieved the feat.

McCann has earned a fight-night bonus for her previous 4 UFC wins.

McCann’s three fight-night bonuses for UFC girls’s flyweight bouts are most in divisional historical past.

Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape

Muhammad Mokaev

Muhammad Mokaev

Muhammad Mokaev’s (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) six-fight UFC successful streak at flyweight is tied with Alexandre Pantoja for the longest energetic streak within the division.

Mokaev’s six-fight UFC successful streak at flyweight is tied with Pantoja and Joseph Benavidez for the second-longest in divisional historical past behind Demetrious Johnson (13).

Mokaev’s 4 submission victories in UFC flyweight competitors are tied for second-most in divisional historical past behind Johnson (5).

Mokaev absorbs simply 1.36 vital strikes per minute in UFC flyweight competitors, one of the best fee in divisional historical past.

Manel Kape

Manel Kape

Manel Kape’s (19-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) four-fight UFC successful streak at flyweight is tied for the fourth-longest energetic streak within the division behind Pantoja (six), Mokaev (six) and Tatsuro Taira (5).

Kape lands 5.12 vital striker per minute in UFC flyweight competitors, the fourth-highest fee in divisional historical past behind John Lineker (5.43), Zhalgas Zhumagulov (5.24) and CJ Vergara (5.15).

Mick Parkin vs. Lukasz Brzeski

Mick Parkin

Mick Parkin’s (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) three-fight UFC successful streak at heavyweight is tied for the second-longest energetic streak within the division behind Volkov (4).

Parkin has earned all three of his UFC victories by choice.

Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio

Modestas Bukauskas

Modestas Bukauskas (15-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) is 2-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2023.

Marcin Prachnio (17-7 MMA, 4-5 UFC) is one in every of 4 gentle heavyweights in UFC historical past to earn a knockout stemming from a physique kick. Tyson Pedro, Jan Blachowicz and Wealthy Franklin additionally achieved the feat.

Prachnio lands 5.61 vital striker per minute in UFC gentle heavyweight competitors, the fourth-highest fee in divisional historical past behind Carlos Ulberg (7.52), Jamahal Hill (6.85) and Dustin Jacoby (6.39).

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 304.

UFC analysis analyst and stay statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Comply with him on X @MJCflipdascript.