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UFC 215: Defending titles nothing new to Demetrious Johnson

Demetrious Johnson will look to defend his title for the 11th consecutive time at UFC 215. AP Photo/John Locher

Demetrious Johnson is on the verge of history Saturday night when he defends his UFC flyweight title against Ray Borg at UFC 215. If Johnson wins, it will be his 11th consecutive title defense, breaking a tie with former middleweight champion Anderson Silva for most in UFC history.

Johnson’s win streak in the UFC is up to 12, tied with former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre for third most in UFC history. Johnson has held the UFC flyweight title since Sept. 22, 2012, the longest reigning current champion in the UFC.

Perhaps most important of all, Johnson is seeking to tie the career record for most wins in UFC title fights (12, Georges St-Pierre). He'll likely accomplish it by landing a takedown that leads to a submission.

In his career, he has 10 wins by submission, and his tally of 65 takedowns landed is the fourth most in UFC history, according to FightMetric.

His opponent also uses takedowns. Borg averages 2.7 takedowns per fight, according to FightMetric. And chances are, this fight will end early. This is Borg's second career five-round fight, and he's never fought into the championship rounds.

The Lioness returns

After their UFC 213 main event was canceled the night of the fight because of the illness of champion Amanda Nunes, the “Lioness” seeks to defend her UFC bantamweight title for the second time in a rematch from March 2016 against Valentina Shevchenko.

Nunes has won seven fights in the bantamweight division since making her debut in March 2013, the most of any fighter.

In Nunes’ last fight, against Ronda Rousey, the Lioness defeated the former champion in 48 seconds, her 11th first-round victory in 14 wins.

Six of those wins have come in the UFC, the most in women’s bantamweight division history and tied for the most by any UFC fighter since 2013, the year of Nunes’ debut.