UFC Fight Night 76 pre-fight facts: Headliners look to continue stoppage streaks

The UFC returns to Dublin on Saturday with an 11-fight lineup that’s slanted heavily toward the European market.

Just three U.S. representatives are on a card that features 22 fighters. One of the three is headliner Dustin Poirier (18-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who looks to continue his rebirth in the lightweight division when he takes on streaking “Irish” Joseph Duffy (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

For more on the numbers behind the UFC’s third overall visit to Ireland, check out 25 pre-fight facts about UFC Fight Night 76.

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Main event

Dustin Poirier

Poirier is 2-0 since he returned to the UFC lightweight division in April 2015.

Poirier has earned both his victories since returning to the lightweight division by first-round knockout.

Poirier has earned seven of his 10 UFC victories by stoppage.

Poirier made 11 appearances in the UFC featherweight division, tied for the most in divisional history, prior to his return to lightweight.

Poirier is the only fighter in UFC history to earn two submission victories stemming from a D’arce choke. He used the technique to finish Pablo Garza at UFC on FOX 1 and Jonathan Brookins at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale.

Duffy is the last fighter to defeat interim UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor. He submitted McGregor in 38 seconds in November 2010 under the Cage Warriors banner.

Duffy has earned 13 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 12 opponents in the first round and seven in less than two minutes.

Remaining main card

Darren Till

Darren Till (13-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned 11 of his 13 career victories by stoppage.

Norman Parke (20-4-1 MMA, 4-2-1 UFC) is winless in three of his past four UFC appearances.

Parke has suffered both his UFC losses by decision.

Parke defends 87.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC lightweight competition, the third highest rate in divisional history behind Gleison Tibau (92 percent) and Donald Cerrone (88.4 percent).

Reza Madadi (13-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since April 6, 2013. The 931-day lay off is the longest of his career dating back to his September 2006 pro debut.

Preliminary card

Stevie Ray

Stevie Ray (18-5 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned 14 of his 18 career victories by stoppage.

Ray has earned both of his UFC victories by knockout.

Neil Seery (15-11 MMA, 2-2 UFC), 36, is the oldest active fighter in the UFC flyweight division.

Seery has earned both of his UFC victories by decision. He’s suffered both his UFC losses by decision.

Jon Delos Reyes (8-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage.

Krzysztof Jotko (15-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Oct. 4, 2014. The 385-day lay off is the longest of his career dating back to his June 2010 pro debut.

Jotko has earned nine of his 15 career victories by decision. That includes both his victories under the UFC banner.

Cathal Pendred

Cathal Pendred (17-3-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned eight of his past 10 victories by decision.

Tom Breese (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned all of his career victories by stoppage.

Darren Elkins (18-5 MMA, 8-4 UFC) is 7-3 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in June 2011.

Elkins competes in his 11th UFC featherweight bout, tied with Poirier for the second most appearances in divisional history behind Max Holloway (12).

Elkins’ seven victories in UFC featherweight competition are tied for the fourth most in divisional history behind Holloway (nine), Poirier (eight) and Chad Mendes (eight).

Elkins’ 15 submission attempts in UFC featherweight competition are the most in divisional history.

For more on UFC Fight Night 76, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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