By The Numbers: Vadim Nemkov vs. Tim Johnson

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Vadim Nemkov 🤝 Fedor Emelianenko#RoadToDubai | Sat Jan 25 | Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, UAE | 11AM ET | Streaming on Sports on Max pic.twitter.com/W2jq6jl5OM

— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 21, 2025

Few heavyweights on the Professional Fighters League roster can match the extensive list of accomplishments that belongs to Vadim Nemkov.

The Fedor Emelianenko protégé will attempt to dig his heels deeper into the company’s soil when he squares off with Tim Johnson in the PFL Champions Series 1 co-main event on Saturday at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Nemkov enters the cage on a 13-fight unbeaten streak during which he has compiled a 12-0 record with one no contest. He last saw action on Feb. 24, when he choked Bruno Cappelozza unconscious with an arm-triangle in the second round of their PFL Super Fights “PFL vs. Bellator Champs” pairing. Johnson, meanwhile, has rattled off three wins in four appearances. He last suited up at PFL 7, where he succumbed to punches from Denis Goltsov in the first round of their Aug. 2 confrontation.

As Nemkov and Johnson approach their forthcoming “Road to Dubai” showdown in the Middle East, a look at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this point:

32: Years of age for Nemkov, who was born in Belgorod, Russia, on June 20, 1992.

9: Nemkov victories by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 52% of his career total (17). His last five victims: Ryan Bader, Liam McGeary, Philipe Lins, Alison Vicente and Mikolaj Rozanski. Nemkov owns four other victories by submission (24%) and four more by decision (24%).

1,244: Days spent by Nemkov as Bellator MMA light heavyweight champion. He laid claim to the title with a second-round technical knockout of the aforementioned Bader at Bellator 244 on Aug. 21, 2020, retained it five times and then vacated the throne to move to the heavyweight division on Jan. 17, 2024.

22: Seconds needed for Nemkov to punch out Joaquim Ferreira under the League S-70 banner on Aug. 29, 2015. More than nine years later, it remains his fastest finish to date.

.798: Cumulative winning percentage between the two opponents—Karl Albrektsson and Jiri Prochazka—who have beaten Nemkov. They sport a combined record of 45-11-1.

39: Years of age for Johnson, who was born on March 13, 1985 in Lamberton, Minnesota.

10: Johnson wins by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 55% of his career total (18). His last five victims: Danilo Marques, Darion Abbey, Matt Mitrione, Tyrell Fortune and Shamil Abdurakhimov. Johnson holds three other wins by submission (17%) and five more by decision (28%).

7: Countries in which Johnson has plied his mixed martial arts trade. In addition to the United States, he has fought in Croatia, Northern Ireland, England, Brazil, France and Russia.

49: Rounds started by Johnson as a professional mixed martial artist. He has gone the distance on eight different occasions and carries a 5-3 record in those bouts.

243: Combined victories between the 10 opponents—Goltsov, Emelianenko, Linton Vassell, Valentin Moldavsky, Vitaly Minakov, Cheick Kongo, Junior Albini, Alexander Volkov, Jared Rosholt and Lance Peterson—who have defeated Johnson. They boast a cumulative .775 winning percentage at 243-70-2.

It only takes ☝️shot

Tim Johnson returns to action on January 25th as he faces Former @BellatorMMA Light Heavyweight World Champion Vadim Nemkov in the Saturday’s Co-Main Event#RoadToDubai | Sat Jan 25 | Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, UAE | 10:30AM ET | Streaming on @SportsonMax pic.twitter.com/GMEA00CXCr

— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 20, 2025