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The UFC makes its return to Australia on Saturday with UFC 243, an event that could draw a record-setting crowd at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne for the pay-per-view main card, which follows prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

A massive middleweight championship unification bout is featured in the main event. UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (20-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) is set to return from the longest layoff of his career against interim titleholder Israel Adesanya (17-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who seeks to extend his unbeaten record.

For most on the numbers behind the unifier, as well as the rest of the fights on the card, check below for 40 pre-event facts about UFC 243.

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Main event

Whittaker is the only New Zealand-born fighter in UFC history to win a championship.

Whittaker returns to competition for the first time since June 9, 2018. The 484-day layoff is the longest of his more than 10-year career.

Whittaker is 8-0 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in November 2014.

Whittaker’s eight-fight UFC winning streak in middleweight competition is the longest active streak in the division.

Whittaker’s nine-fight UFC winning streak is tied for the fourth longest active streak in the company behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (12), Tony Ferguson (12) and Kamaru Usman (10).

Whittaker and Yoel Romero combined for 239 significant strikes landed at UFC 225, the single-fight record for a five-fight UFC middleweight fight.

Whittaker’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC middleweight bouts are second most in divisional history behind Anderson Silva (11).

Adesanya is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to win an interim or undisputed title with an undefeated record.

Adesanya’s 17-fight winning streak is third longest among active UFC fighters behind Nurmagomedov (28) and Weili Zhang (20).

Adesanya’s 17-fight winning streak is the longest among active UFC middleweights.

Adesanya’s six-fight UFC winning streak in middleweight competition is the second longest active streak in the division behind Whittaker (eight).

Adesanya’s average fight time of 15:35 in UFC middleweight competition is the longest in divisional history.

Adesanya has earned 13 of his 17 career victories by stoppage. All those wins are by knockout.

Adesanya’s four knockdowns landed against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 are the single-fight record for a UFC title bout.

Adesanya defends 65.7 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the third best rate in divisional history behind Chael Sonnen (67.7 percent) and Nate Quarry (66.3 percent).

Adesanya defends 85.7 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Krzysztof Jotko (86 percent).

Co-main event

Al Iaquinta (14-5-1 MMA, 9-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past four UFC appearances.

Iaquinta has earned five of his nine UFC victories by decision.

Iaquinta’s seven knockdowns landed in UFC lightweight competition are tied for third most among active fighters in the weight class behind Donald Cerrone (11) and Edson Barboza (10).

Dan Hooker (18-8 MMA, 8-4 UFC) is 5-1 since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in June 2017.

Hooker’s average fight time of 6:31 in UFC lightweight competition is second shortest among active fighters in the weight class behind Charles Oliveira (5:08).

Hooker has earned 17 of his 18 career victories by stoppage. That includes all eight of his UFC wins.

Hooker has earned UFC knockouts stemming from a punch, kick, knee and elbows.

Remaining main card

Tai Tuivasa (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 10-0.

Tuivasa has earned nine of his 10 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished all of those wins by knockout in Round 1.

Tuivasa is one of two heavyweights in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a flying knee. Ex-champ Fabricio Werdum also accomplished the feat.

Tuivasa is one of three heavyweights in UFC history to earn knockouts stemming from a knee and an elbow strike. Cheick Kongo and Justin Willis also accomplished the feat.

Serghei Spivac (9-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has earned all nine of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished eight of those wins in Round 1.

Luke Jumeau (13-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Feb. 10, 2018. The 602-day layoff is the longest of his nearly 11-year career.

Dhiego Lima (14-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC) is 2-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in July 2017.

Yorgan De Castro (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the only fighter in Dana White’s Contender Series history to earn a knockout stemming from leg kicks.

Preliminary card

Jake Matthews (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) is 3-1 since he moved up to the UFC welterweight division in November 2017.

Megan Anderson (9-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC), who is 6-foot, is the tallest fighter in the UFC women’s featherweight division.

Anderson competes in her fourth UFC women’s featherweight bout, the second most appearances in divisional history behind Cris Cyborg (five).

Nadia Kassem (5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), 23, is the youngest of the

Ji Yeon Kim (8-2-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Nov. 30, 2018. The 309-day layoff is the longest of her nearly six-year career.

Kim competes in her fourth UFC women’s flyweight bout, tied for the fourth most appearances in divisional history behind Joanne Calderwood (five), Roxanne Modafferi (five) and Gillian Robertson (five).

Khalid Taha (13-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past five fights. He won his most recent bout at UFC 236.

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