By The Numbers: Ryan Bader vs. Corey Anderson

While their paths never crossed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, an encounter between them became a virtual inevitability once they signed on Bellator MMA’s dotted line.

Ryan Bader will lock horns with Corey Anderson in the semifinals of the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix, their five-round battle serving as the Bellator 268 co-feature on Saturday at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. The winner moves on to face either Vadim Nemkov or Julius Anglickas in the tournament final. Bader has compiled a 6-1 record with one no contest across his eight appearances in Bellator. He last competed at Bellator 256, where he laid claim to a unanimous decision over Lyoto Machida in their April 9 rematch. Anderson, meanwhile, enters the cage on the strength of a two-fight winning streak. He last fought on April 16, when he wiped out Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov with punches and elbows at Bellator 257.

As Bader and Anderson approach their semifinal showdown, a look at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this point:

38: Years of age for Bader, who was born in Reno, Nevada, on June 7, 1983.

3: Bader wins by submission, accounting for 11% of his career total (28). His methods of choice: one rear-naked choke, one arm-triangle choke and one guillotine choke. Bader owns 12 other wins by knockout or technical knockout and 13 more by decision.

5: Sub-minute stoppage victories on the Bader resume. He tore through Dicky Chavez with punches in 41 seconds under the King of the Cage banner on Sept. 15, 2007, submitted Buckley Acosta with an arm-triangle choke in 47 seconds at an Xtreme Cage Combat event on April 5, 2008, disposed of Vladimir Matyushenko with a guillotine choke in 50 seconds at UFC on Fox 6 on Jan. 26, 2013, brought down Muhammed Lawal with punches in 15 seconds at Bellator 199 on May 12, 2018 and punched out Fedor Emelianenko in 35 seconds at Bellator 214 on Jan. 26, 2019.

6: Light heavyweights in UFC history, including Bader (20), with at least 20 appearances inside the Octagon. Mauricio Rua (22), Jon Jones (22), Ovince St. Preux (22), Rashad Evans (20) and Glover Teixeira (20) are the others.

.779: Cumulative winning percentage between the six men who have defeated Bader: Nemkov, Teixeira, Jones, Machida, Anthony Johnson and Tito Ortiz. They boast a combined record of 141-39-1.

32: Years of age for Anderson, who was born on Sept. 22, 1989 in Rockford, Illinois.

7: Anderson victories by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 47% of his career total (15). His list of victims includes Melvin Manhoef, Johnny Walker and Sean O’Connell. Anderson holds eight other victories by decision.

61: Seconds needed for Anderson to cut down Matt Van Buren with punches at “The Ultimate Fighter 19” Finale on July 6, 2014. Having occurred in just his fourth professional appearance, it remains the fastest finish of his 20-fight career.

53: Takedowns completed by Anderson as a UFC light heavyweight, placing him first on the promotion’s all-time list at 205 pounds.

114: Combined wins between the five men—Rua, St. Preux, Jan Blachowicz, Jimi Manuwa and Gian Villante—who have beaten Anderson. They sport a cumulative record of 114-55-1 (.671).