On Wednesday, two long tenured UFC competitors look to make the potential jump into the top five of the promotion’s welterweight division when Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny meet in the main event of UFC Fight Island 8.
Chiesa began his UFC career as a lightweight. During his first six years with the promotion, the 33-year-old went 7-4 at 155 pounds. After losing two fights in a row via submission, Chiesa made the move to the 170 pound weight division. Since he began to compete at welterweight in 2018, Chiesa has won three fights in a row.
Magny, like his opponent on Fight Island, is also on a three-fight winning streak. He has fought at welterweight since he joined the UFC in 2013. One of the most active fighters in the history of the UFC’s 170-pound weight division, Magny, who is also 33, has 23 fights to his name as a UFC welterweight. His record is 17-6 with the promotion.
Chiesa enters the contest at No. 8 in the official UFC welterweight rankings, while Magny checks in at No. 9.
UFC Fight Island 8 takes place Wednesday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on ESPN and ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Here is how Chiesa and Magny stack up in some key stats before they face off.
UFC Fight Island 8: Chiesa vs. Magny head-to-head stats
| Stat | Chiesa | Magny |
|---|---|---|
| Stat | Chiesa | Magny |
| Sig. Strikes Lander Per Min. | 2.07 | 3.96 |
| Striking Accuracy | 39% | 48% |
| Strikes Absorbed Per Minute | 1.95 | 2.15 |
| Striking Defense | 52% | 56% |
| Takedown Avg./15 min | 3.84 | 2.63 |
| Takedown Accuracy | 51% | 45% |
| Takedown Defense | 68% | 59% |
| Submission Average Per 15 min | 1.1 | 0.3 |
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