Bo Nickal looked to rebound from his first professional loss in highlight fashion, and while it looked
After a brief feeling out process, Nickal quickly scooped Vieira up and slammed him to the mat. Vieira scrambled to the fence but Nickal laid into him with a series of punches and knees. Vieira pushed Nickal into the fence briefly, but Nickal would separate before threatening with a guillotine choke. Vieira would survive, however, as well as survive the offensive attack Nickal imposed throughout the first.
Nickal continued to piece Vieira up in the second round, busting him open in highlight fashion. Then, in the third round, Nickal used the left hand to set up a devastating head kick, dropping Vieira out cold.
Bo Nickal Sends Rodolfo Vieira To The Shadow Realm At UFC 322
Nickal, the former NCAA wrestling champion from Penn State, scored wins over Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, Cody Brundage, and Paul Craig to start his Octagon tenure. This was his first fight since tasting defeat for the first time, losing to Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines in May.
After about a year away from the Octagon, Erin Blanchfield showed why she’s a top name at 125, scoring a submission of Tracy Cortez during the UFC 322 prelims — avenging a previous loss in the process. Impact-Site-Verification: 4e5f36a6-f7f1-45e3-9e5f-57a88e055dc0
To the surprise of plenty, Blanchfield elected to not use her grappling in the opening frame, standing in a kickboxing battle with Cortez. Cortez took advantage and seemed to be quicker to the punch, landing well on inside shots.
It was Cortez, however, who shot for and scored the takedown early in the second round, getting to the back of Blanchfield. Blanchfield, however, managed to work her way in countering to the back of Cortez. Blanchfield then traded well with Cortez in the stand-up game before scoring her own takedown and threatening an arm-triangle choke.
Blanchfield scored another takedown in the second round’s final minute, locking up a rear-naked choke and scoring the win.
Erin Blanchfield Submits Tracy Cortez At UFC 322
Erin Blanchfield with a nasty rear-naked choke to finish Tracy Cortez in the second round.
Blanchfield has won 11 of 12, with her sole UFC loss coming against Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City in March 2024. This was her first fight since defeating Rose Namajunas UFC Edmonton in November 2024.
Cortez has now lost two of her last three since starting her MMA career 11-1.
Making his UFC debut on just two days’ notice, Ethyn Ewing pulled off a highlight performance, ending the undefeated record of the highly-touted Malcolm Wellmaker during the UFC 322 preliminary card.
Wellmaker seemed to get the better of Ewing early on, working him over with the striking that brought him to top prospect status. But Ewing did damage of his own in the clinch late in the round, seemingly turning the momentum in his favor.
Wellmaker performed better in the second round, focused on the body attack. Ewing, however, did not deter and countered with his own moments, including some late knees in the clinch. Ewing then used his boxing and takedowns in the final frame to come away with the victory.
Ethyn Ewing Upsets Malcolm Wellmaker On Two Days’ Notice At UFC 322
Taking the fight in two days notice and winning against a fighter like Malcolm Wellmaker… WOW👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Ewing is the real deal #UFC322
There's something so beautiful about watching massive favorites and big underdogs fight their hearts out. Ethyn Ewing just gained some serious stock as a UFC fighter.
Ewing has now won nine straight since dropping his first two professional MMA bouts. Just last week, he scored a first-round finish over Bill Brand to capture the A1C interim bantamweight title.
Wellmaker won a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. His two other UFC bouts this year saw him earn first-round finishes of Cameron Saiiman and Kris Moutinho, earning performance bonuses for both.
After an impactful return to the UFC earlier this year, Kyle Daukaus came into Madison Square Garden and delivered another highlight performance, quickly putting away Gerald Meerschaert at UFC 322.
Daukaus worked a combination of punches to the head just 30 seconds into the fight, dropping Meerschaert in the process. Daukaus then quickly dropped to the mat himself to lock Meerschaert up in a choke.
The tapout came 50 seconds into the fight — good for the sixth-fastest submission in UFC welterweight history.
Kyle Daukaus Submits Gerald Meerschaert In Lightning Fashion At UFC 322
It wasn’t the greatest of outings, but Baisangur Susurkaev was able to score a knockout in his second UFC appearance, defeating Eric McConico during the UFC 322 prelims.
The two spent most of the first two rounds battling in the clinch, with McConico’s early pressure and elbows giving him the edge in the opening frame. Susurkaev battled back in the second round, working his strikes more and connecting on McConico. The crowd, however, seemed less than enthused with the grapple-heavy offense from Susurkaev.
Susurkaev seemed to find new footing in the third round. Midway through, he landed right hand that dropped McConico out cold for the victory.
Baisangur Susurkaev KOs Eric McConico At UFC 322
Beautiful shot by Susurkaev. Calm down with the next big thing talk, he has a long way to go
A lot of people are writing off Susurkaev just because he got rocked in his debut. Remember, he fought on a Tuesday that week and then fought again that Saturday. Also, he still won the fight. #UFC322
Susurkaev, close friend to UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, earned a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in August. He received the opportunity to fight on four days’ notice, defeating Eric Nolan at UFC 319. Susurkaev received criticism for a lackluster performance in his UFC debut, however.
McConico has lost two of three since coming to the UFC from Tuff-N-Uff earlier this year.
After dropping their initial fight, Conor Benn has scored revenge, outclassing Chris Eubank Jr. in their rematch at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
Benn’s success began early on, controlling the action with heavy pressure, mixing up sharp jabs and body shots. He seemed to be the quicker, sharper fighter in the early portion of the fight. Eubank made things a little more competitive during rounds four through six, but Benn’s timing on his punches and his footwork helped him to stay dictating the pace.
Benn’s combinations and inside shots eventually helped to seemingly widen the gap. Benn continued to control and cut off the ring while finding success with his punching.
Benn put an exclamation point on his performance by dropping Eubank twice in the final round, dominating and nearly finishing the fight there.
Benn won on all three scorecards with totals of 119-107, 118-108, and 116-110.
Conor Benn Nearly Finishes, Dominates Chris Eubank Jr. In Rematch
He took that Eubank loss to heart and used it to become a world beater. Bravo Conor Benn, what an absolute masterclass you put on tonight against a much bigger man. #EubankBenn2pic.twitter.com/YTnMuieuzc
One of the best performances you will ever see from a British boxer. Possibly the greatest ever. The concession of weight, the first fight, the story. How fitting will it be to have a Eubank retired by a Benn.
Eubank jr is purposely trying to throw the fight away so he can have a trilogy with Benn for even more money but I can’t prove it pic.twitter.com/XtTjGctRaa
UFC 322 is here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from Madison Square Garden, in New York City, on Saturday, November 15. The pay-per-view main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/6PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 6PM ET/3PM PT.
The headline attraction for the event will feature a UFC welterweight championship matchup between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev.
The co-main event will see the UFC women’s strawweight championship on the line as Valentina Shevchenko defends against Weili Zhang.
The pay-per-view main card will also feature Sean Brady taking on Michael Morales, Leon Edwards facing Carlos Prates, and Beneil Dariush going up against Benoit Saint-Denis.
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 322 as of 8:30pm ET on November 14, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena (+245) vs. Islam Makhachev (-305)
Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko (-135) vs. Weili Zhang (+114)
Welterweight: Sean Brady (-135) vs. Michael Morales (+114)
Welterweight: Leon Edwards (+136) vs. Carlos Prates (-162)
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (+150) vs. Benoit Saint-Denis (-180)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Bo Nickal (-198) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (+164)
Middleweight: Roman Kopylov (+154) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (-185)
Women’s Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (-270) vs. Tracy Cortez (+220)
Middleweight: Kyle Daukaus (-470) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (+360)
Early Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Pat Sabatini (-118) vs. Chepe Mariscal (-102)
Women’s Strawweight: Angela Hill (+390) vs. Fatima Kline (-520)
Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev (-1050) vs. Eric McConico (+675)
Lightweight: Viascheslav Borschev (+145) vs. Matheus Camilo (-175)
We’re 24 hours away from UFC 322, and MMA News is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!
UFC 322 takes place on November 15 from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The main event will see Jack Della Maddalena defend the UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev. This marks JDM’s first title defense since defeating Belal Muhammad for the gold at UFC 315. Makachev moves up to welterweight after a run as lightweight champion, which began with a win over Charles Oliveira and contained successful defenses against Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano.
The co-main event will see the top two UFC female fighters in action, as Valentina Shevchenko defends the UFC women’s flyweight championship against Weili Zhang. Shevchenko, in her second run as champion of the division she has dominated since 2018, retained the championship against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315. Zhang, meanwhile, moves up to 125 after two title runs at strawweight. Her second reign began with a win over Carla Esparza and saw defenses against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.
The rest of the main card sees welterweight action between Sean Brady and Michael Morales, a welterweight showdown featuring former champion Leon Edwards and rising contender Carlos Prates, and a lightweight battle that sees Beneil Dariush pitted against Benoit Saint-Denis.
The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!
We are just one day away from UFC 322, and we’ve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMA News.
UFC 322 takes place from Madison Square Garden in New York City, featuring a number of noteworthy names topped off with two highly anticipated title fights.
The main event will see Jack Della Maddalena defend the UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev.
This will mark JDM’s first title defense since capturing the gold with a decision win over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in May. Della Maddalena has won 18 fights in a row and has a perfect Octagon record, having not dropped a fight since losing his first two pro outings.
The one-loss Makhachev is the former UFC lightweight champion. He defeated Charles Oliveira for the title at UFC 280 and has since retained the belt against Alexander Volkanovski, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano. He vacated the belt to move up to 170.
The co-main event will see the top two UFC pound-for-pound female fighters clash, as Valentina Shevchenko puts the women’s flyweight title on the line against Weili Zhang.
Shevchenko has been a mainstay in the division since moving there from bantamweight in 2018, becoming a two-time champion in the process. After losing and regaining the gold in her trilogy with Alexa Grasso, Shevchenko retained the title against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315. Zhang is a two-time former strawweight champion. Her second reign began at UFC 281, and she went on to retain against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.
The rest of the main card sees welterweight contenders Sean Brady and Michael Morales in battle, as well as former welterweight champion Leon Edwards being putting up against Carlos Prates and lightweight action featuring Beneil Dariush and Benoit Saint-Denis.
UFC 322 Weigh-In Video, Results
UFC 322 takes place Saturday, November 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above to watch the UFC 322 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.
Main Card:
Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena (169.8) vs. Islam Makhachev (170)
Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko (124.6) vs. Weili Zhang (124.6)
Welterweight: Sean Brady (169.4) vs. Michael Morales (170.6)
Welterweight: Leon Edwards (170) vs. Carlos Prates (169.6)
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (157.2)* vs. Benoit Saint-Denis (155.6)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Bo Nickal (185.8) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (186)
Middleweight: Roman Kopylov (185.2) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185.8)
Women’s Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (125.8) vs. Tracy Cortez (125.6)
Bantamweight: Malcolm Wellmaker (143.6) vs. Cody Haddon (145.2)
Early Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Kyle Daukaus (186) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (185.6)
Featherweight: Pat Sabatini (145.6) vs. Chepe Mariscal (145.6)
Women’s Strawweight: Angela Hill (115.6) vs. Fatima Kline (115.4)
Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev (185.2) vs. Eric McConico (185.6)
Lightweight: Viascheslav Borschev (155.8) vs. Matheus Camilo (155.8)
*Dariush fined 20 percent of his purse for weight miss
UFC 322 is just a couple of days away, featuring a pair of highly anticipated super title fights headlining the show. Time to stir the pot more and gain more hype for UFC 322, courtesy of a good ol’ fashion question-and-answer session.
The 12th UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from Madison Square Garden, in New York City, on Saturday, November 15.
UFC 322 will be headlined by Jack Della Maddalena defending the UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev.
The co-main event will see Valentina Shevchenko put the UFC women’s flyweight championship on the line against Weili Zhang.
The rest of the main card sees a welterweight clash between Sean Brady and Michael Morales, former welterweight champ Leon Edwards facing Carlos Prates, and a lightweight battle between Beneil Dariush and Benoit Saint-Denis.
Watch The UFC 322: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev Pre-Fight Press Conference
As per tradition, the UFC pay-per-view main card participants will be featured in a press conference during fight week. This is the opportunity for fighters to answer questions from media and fans, as well as potentially lay in some smack talk on their opponents.
The UFC brings a pair of super title fights to its annual November pay-per-view outing in New York City this Saturday for UFC 322. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.
The event will be available exclusively on ESPN pay-per-view on Saturday, November 15. The main card will begin at 10pm ET, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will see the UFC welterweight championship on the line as Jack Della Maddalena defends against former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Della Maddalena has won 18 straight fights since dropping the first two of his professional MMA career. This includes a perfect 8-0 record in the Octagon, which includes wins over Kevin Holland Gilbert Burns. This is JDM’s first title defense since defeating Belal Muhammad to capture the gold at UFC 315 in May.
The 27-1 Makhachev spent most of the last approximately three years as UFC lightweight champion, capturing the title with a win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He defended the belt against Alexander Volkanovski twice, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano before vacating the title to move up to 170.
A similar situation can be found in the co-main event of the evening, as Valentina Shevchenko puts up the women’s flyweight championship against Weili Zhang in a battle of the UFC’s top-two women’s pound-for-pound combatants.
Shevchenko is in the midst of her second reign as flyweight champion, reclaiming the gold in a trilogy bout with Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306. Shevchenko retained the title against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315. Zhang is a former two-time women’s strawweight champion, reclaiming the title with a win over Carla Esparza at UFC 281 and defending it successfully against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.
The rest of the main card will see a welterweight battle featuring Sean Brady and Michael Morales, another welterweight scrap with former champion Leon Edwards facing Carlos Prates, and a lightweight battle that sees Beneil Dariush take on Benoit Saint-Denis.
UFC 322: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 322 just a couple of short days away, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through 11 cards in 2025.
Thomas Albano (30-21) Ryan Jarrell (28-23) Pranav Pandey (27-24)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 322!
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: When Beneil Dariush got re-booked against Renato Moicano at UFC 317, with Moicano coming off the last-minute title shot at the start of the year, I thought that was going to spell the end of Dariush’s time in the top 10 of the lightweight contender rankings. But somehow he was able to pull through and come out on top.
I doubt lightning strikes twice here. Benoit Saint-Denis has proven to be a strong, durable, and scrappy fighter in this weight class. He has looked great even in his losses the past couple of years. BSD is going to have the advantage in terms of both size and striking. Both men have noteworthy grappling abilities, with Dariush holding a particular edge in this regard. If Dariush can’t get BSD to the ground, however, I don’t think he’s able to hold up well against Saint-Denis’ strikes. (Prediction: Saint-Denis)
Ryan Jarrell: I am all the way back in on the BSD hype train after seeing what BSD did in his last fight which was an extremely impressive win over top prospect Mauricio Ruffy. Dariush is a tough well rounded veteran, but at this stage of his career I’m not sure he can hang with Benoit if he is at his best. As long as the ‘God of War’ shows up like he did against Ruffy, I definitely expect him to overwhelm and beat up Dariush over three rounds and he may very well find the finish. (Prediction: Saint-Denis)
Pranav Pandey: Dariush regained his footing after two tough knockout losses by earning a solid decision over Renato Moicano, and he showed he still has high-level skills. But at this stage of his career, I feel like the margins are getting thinner for him, and facing someone like Saint Denis is far from ideal.
“God of War” brings youth, power and a ruthless finishing instinct. Dariush has never been the type to back down or fade, but when I weigh their momentum, I end up leaning toward BSD taking this one. (Prediction: Saint-Denis)
Consensus: 3-0 Saint-Denis
Welterweight: Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: I think this is a situation where Leon Edwards has everything to lose and Carlos Prates has everything to gain. Edwards’ two most recent fights – against Sean Brady and Belal Muhammad – have not been his best showings. And now he has to face Prates, who has proven himself to be a dangerous striker – even in his loss to Ian Machado Garry earlier this year. There are two things that can turn this fight in Edwards’ favor. Firstly, if he makes this more of a technical striking matchup than trying to match power for power, Edwards can win this fight. Secondly, if he can spend time on the ground with Prates and bring him to the mat, Edwards can win this fight. Prates and the Fighting Nerds are in need of some major momentum to come back to their side, and if he can defeat Edwards here by managing the power of his strikes well, that will be what is needed. (Prediction: Prates)
Ryan Jarrell: Carlos Prates’ stoppage win over Geoff Neal was truly remarkable. It was important for ‘The Nitemare’ to remind the MMA community just how scary he truly is, especially after suffering his first loss inside the octagon to a game Machado Garry. This matchup with Leon will be a strikers delight and could very well steal the show as fight of the night. Leon is very technical and will definitely give Prates some problems early on as the two tussle to find one another’s timing. But to me, the difference will be the violent nature of strikes that Carlos always seems to bring to the table. I could see Prates getting a finish but the more likely outcome is Prates landing the more significant strikes and winning a decision over the former champion. (Prediction: Prates)
Pranav Pandey: Leon Edwards, once riding a remarkable 13-fight unbeaten streak with two title defenses, hasn’t looked like himself lately. In his last two outings, he seemed a step behind, struggling to match the pace and intensity of his opponents. If he hasn’t patched those holes, he could find himself in serious danger here because Prates is the last person you want to give openings to. The Brazilian is a razor-sharp sniper on the feet.
“The Nightmare” has been tearing through opponents with knockouts. Aside from a tight loss to Ian Garry, he has been nearly flawless. For me, UFC 322 feels like his moment to break through in a big way. I honestly see this matchup leaning in Prates’ favour if Edwards shows the same inconsistencies we’ve seen recently. (Prediction: Prates)
Consensus: 3-0 Prates
Welterweight: Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: Of all the non-title fights present on this UFC 322 card, this is the one I am struggling with the most. You’ve got two rising names in the weight class who are extremely talented and have some wins over noteworthy names under their belt. This is definitely the fight I have the most uncertainty with and just want to kick back and watch it all happen. Ultimately, Michael Morales is the better, more powerful striker; however, Sean Brady is the better overall performer. This is not a striker vs. grappler battle, but I think it comes to that. If Brady can take Morales’ power and can take him down and neutralize Morales’ offense, the fight is his. But if Brady gets cracked in the same way that Belal Muhammad (of all people) cracked him, that doesn’t spell good news for him. If I had to lean one way, give me Brady to be the one to put the first L in Morales’ career. I will say, however, a win here for Morales, and we might legitimately be looking at someone who can pose a threat to the 170-pound title starting in 2026 or 2027. (Prediction: Brady)
Ryan Jarrell: I am so excited for this matchup. This is your striker versus grappler fight with huge future #1 contender implications on the line. Both of these guys will be around the top of the division for years to come and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see these two match up again down the line. I was extremely impressed with what Sean Brady did in his wins over Edwards, Burns and Gastelum. Brady will have to be incredibly careful on the feet when entering for a takedown because Morales is a sniper. But I do think we will see somewhat of a grappling clinic put on by Brady throughout fifteen minutes. Morales is a live dog here and could easily catch Sean coming in and close the show. But I’m leaning Brady to continue doing what we have seen lately and smother his opponent en route to a clear victory. (Prediction: Brady)
Pranav Pandey: Brady looked so dominant in his last performance that he made Leon Edwards appear completely out of rhythm. His consistency stands out, and it genuinely feels like he’s sharpening his game every time he fights. The only real blemish on his record is the loss to Belal, and even then, I believe he simply got caught on an off night.
Meanwhile, Morales brings serious knockout danger, and he doesn’t need many openings to end a fight. His last two finishes over seasoned veterans Gilbert Burns and Neil Magny were the kind of wins that make you stop and take notice, and he handled both with almost casual ease. If the young Ecuadorian can stay disciplined, keep the distance and avoid being dragged into Brady’s grappling radius, I think he has a very real chance of landing something clean and game-changing. (Prediction: Morales)
Consensus: 2-1 Brady
Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: I have long been dreaming of this fight, and I am so excited that we’re finally get to see it go down – and on a major world stage like MSG, too. These are legitimately the two best women’s fighters in the UFC now, and this is one of the hardest fights on this card to pick. Ultimately, however, I am going to lean toward Valentina Shevchenko. While Shevchenko has had a couple of down performances over the past couple of years, she has been a consistent mainstay in the flyweight division’s title picture since moving there in 2018. And other than Alexa Grasso catching her with a submission, we haven’t seen anyone bring her down. I don’t think any of Weili Zhang’s recent title challengers have brought her the preparation needed for facing a dangerous striker like Shevchenko – who, remember, moved down a weight class when she moved to 125, rather than Zhang, who is moving up. I think we will see an awesome scrap, but I think Shevchenko does enough to retain her title. (Prediction: Shevchenko)
Ryan Jarrell: This is such a tough fight to pick. These are two of the absolute best women’s fighters of all time, so the fans should be in for a real treat. I think it’s safe to say Valentina will have the size and strength advantage. While Weili will have the speed advantage on the feet. To me, Weili has to use her speed and movement to frustrate Valentina on the feet and stuff the takedowns that will most certainly come her way. I think we will see an extremely close fight where Shevchenko steals the 50/50 rounds with a timely takedown and top control. I can see this fight going either way, but I’ll lean Valentina to win a split decision. (Prediction: Shevchenko)
Pranav Pandey: When I look at this matchup, it feels like one of the most intriguing clashes in women’s MMA right now. Their skill sets line up so closely. With Weili moving up a division, I don’t see toughness being an issue at all. She’s as durable and explosive as they come, and I genuinely believe she can push Shevchenko in ways very few have. “Magnum” has a style that mirrors Valentina’s in many ways. Her striking remains her strongest weapon, yet what really stands out to me is how much her grappling has evolved, even at 36.
On the other side, Shevchenko has spent years beating the best of the best and establishing herself as one of the greatest women’s fighters ever. She’s still incredibly composed and well-rounded, and she never fades mentally. But even though she regained her belt and defended it, I feel like that untouchable aura she used to have has softened a bit. She hasn’t looked quite as dominant lately, especially against strong grapplers, where she has shown some vulnerabilities.
If Weili comes in with a smart mix of pressure, level changes and her usual high-paced striking, I think she has a real chance to walk out as a two-division champion. (Prediction: Zhang)
Consensus: 2-1 Shevchenko
Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
Images: UFC.com
Thomas Albano: I was left jaw-dropped by Jack Della Maddalena, as he was able to stop the takedown efforts of Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 and worked his way to a decision win and the UFC welterweight title. It was a win that shook things up a little bit in the UFC; however, I feel that win might all be for naught with him going up against Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev, point blank, is one of the best, if not the best, pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC. Della Maddalena might have been able to stop the takedown efforts seen in Muhammad’s wrestling, but how many times have we been told (and seen) that Dagestani wrestling is a different kind of animal? JDM is a tough dog when it comes to his boxing, but I doubt he’ll be able to have the same kind of takedown defense success against Makhachev. I expect Makhachev to bring this fight to the ground often and control the action en route to a mid-to-late fight finish and earn UFC gold in a second weight class, furthering his legacy. (Prediction: Makhachev)
Ryan Jarrell: I just want to be clear and admit that I am a big JDM fan and I am cheering for him to get this win. Having said that, my head is telling me that Islam will become the 11th fighter in UFC history to win a title in two weight classes. JDM had a great performance against Belal, but he really struggled in previous fights against Basil Hafez, Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns. If JDM had issues against those fighters, then he definitely will against the former 155 champ. I expect the striking and power advantage to lean towards JDM, but Islam does such a masterful job of mixing things up and at the end of the day, his grappling is world class. Because of that, I have to lean towards Islam winning this fight via decision and cementing himself as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Bring on Islam vs Ilia! (Prediction: Makhachev)
Pranav Pandey: This matchup is one of the hardest calls on the entire card. oth guys are elite in what they do, and the dynamics of this fight make it feel genuinely close. Della Maddalena showed in his last outing that he’s got a rock-solid blueprint for shutting down high-level wrestlers. The way he stuffed Belal Muhammad’s attempts and kept his striking sharp and punishing was a statement. His boxing is crisp, his counters are nasty, and once he finds his rhythm, he’s a problem for anyone at 170.
But here is the catch. Makhachev is not your typical grappler. Even moving up to welterweight, I do not think strength will be an issue for him. He has built a career on making elite opponents look helpless once he gets his hands on them. And it is not just the wrestling. His ability to blend striking with constant grappling threats is what makes him such a dangerous fighter. That blend could create serious problems for the Aussie champ.
Still, for this one, I find myself leaning toward Della Maddalena. I think he will be incredibly tough to take down, even tougher to keep down, and confident enough to engage when things get scrambly. Plus, he has a bit of a roadmap in how Alexander Volkanovski approached Makhachev in their first meeting. (Prediction: Della Maddalena)
Consensus: 2-1 Makhachev
That’ll do it for our UFC 322 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, you can check out the full UFC 322 card below.
Main Card:
Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang
Welterweight: Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
Welterweight: Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira
Middleweight: Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues
Women’s Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez
Bantamweight: Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon
Early Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Featherweight: Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal
Women’s Strawweight: Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline
Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico
Lightweight: Viascheslav Borschev vs. Matheus Camilo
The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.
And in the aftermath of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 111, MMA News has you covered with this week’s complete updates.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Max Holloway moves up one spot to No. 11, swapping places with Magomed Ankalaev (now No. 12).
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: Following her win at UFC Vegas 111, Denise Gomes moves up two spots to No. 13. She swaps places with the woman she beat, Tecia Pennington, who falls two spots to No. 15.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: Following her win at UFC Vegas 111, Jacqueline Cavalcanti moves up one spot to No. 10, swapping places with the woman she beat, Mayra Bueno Silva (now No. 11).
Flyweight: Following his win at UFC Vegas 111, Joseph Morales enters the rankings at No. 15, knocking Rafael Estevam off the list.
Bantamweight: No changes.
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: Following his win at UFC Vegas 111, Gabriel Bonfim moves up four spots to No. 10. Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns, Geoff Neal, and Daniel Rodriguez all move down one spot to Nos. 11-14, respectively.
For the second straight week — and the second-to-last time in the 2025 calendar year — the UFC landed at its UFC APEX headquarters, looking to move on from last week’s controversial event and go forward with UFC Vegas 111.
The main event saw a welterweight battle between Gabriel Bonfim and Randy Brown. Bonfim had won three straight since suffering his first career loss, coming into this bout off a controversial split decision win over Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson at UFC Nashville in July. Brown, meanwhile, entered with four wins in his last five fights, including a highlight knockout of Nicolas Dalby in the Fight of the Night of April’s UFC Kansas City.
The co-main event saw a flyweight battle, as Matt Schnell welcomed Joseph Morales back to the UFC. Schnell entered this fight off a win over Jimmy Flick at UFC Kansas City, a fight that snapped a three-fight losing streak for him. This, meanwhile, marked Morales’ first fight since winning The Ultimate Fighter season 33.
Who showed out in Vegas? Who had a letdown? Let’s go through together with the Hits and Misses of UFC Vegas 111!
Hit: Zachary Reese Goes Through A Storm For A Short-Notice Win
It usually doesn’t result in a win when a fighter steps up on short notice; however, Zachary Reese was able to face that adversity — and early adversity from opponent Jackson McVey — to score a second-round finish.
Reese and McVey put on quite the striking storm early on in the fight, both throwing power shots. McVey seemed to be getting the better of things, however, and Reese appeared to be rocked during the opening round. Reese survived though, and he managed to get McVey to the mat in the second, finishing him off with a rear-naked choke.
This was a strong performance for Reese, something needed after the bitter taste of a no contest with Sedriques Dumas at Noche UFC 3 in September. With just one loss in his last six fights now, Reese might be due for a little step up in competition next go around.
Hit: Gomes & Cavalcanti Rising Up
There were two women’s fights during the UFC Vegas 111 prelims, both featuring contenders in the strawweight and bantamweight contenders. And the two lower-ranked contenders — Denise Gomes and Jacqueline Cavalcanti — showed off in impressive performances that will move them up the ranks.
Gomes didn’t seem to have any trouble against Tecia Pennington, staying in control thanks to her striking, as well as top control work in the third round. Cavalcanti, meanwhile, took advantage of a Mayra Bueno Silva who seemed unwilling or unable to pull the trigger on explosive offense. Cavalcanti used her boxing to nearly sweep the scorecards (and honestly should have swept the cards) in the victory.
Gomes will make a slight move up the 115-pound ranks, and she could look at someone in the top-10 next. Cavalcanti, meanwhile, is certainly going to be in the top-10 at 135, and her next bout should bring an opportunity to gear her closer toward the top of the title picture.
Miss: The Fall Of Mayra Bueno Silva
It has been almost two years since Mayra Bueno Silva fought Raquel Pennington for the then-vacant women’s bantamweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 297. Sadly, it seems like that might have been the peak of her MMA career.
MBS has now lost four straight fights following this loss to Jacqueline Cavalcanti. In fact, she’s now technically winless in her last five fights, as her impressive win over Holly Holm in 2023 was overturned to a no contest after testing positive for ritalinic acid. And since the loss to Pennington — a terrible fight in itself — she was finished by Macy Chiasson and now has dropped decisions to rising names in Jasmine Jasudavicius and Cavalcanti.
These have all been contenders’ battles — minus the lone title fight — so it’s not going to threaten MBS’ job most likely. However, something feels off about her. And whether its changing camps or changing something about her pre-fight prep, Bueno Silva has to figure it out, and fast.
Hit: Another Superb CLD KO
Christian Leroy Duncan’s striking is fun to watch, and for the second straight time, it’s led him to a highlight knockout.
CLD looked to land something flashy on opponent Marco Tulio from the opening of the fight. He found a spinning elbow that did damage, but Tulio tried to pressure Leroy Duncan back. Despite a takedown and a cut-opening shot from Tulio, CLD put him away with a spinning elbow and a right hand, crumbling Tulio to the mat.
This was a successful follow up for Leroy Duncan after his highlight finish of Eryk Anders a few months ago. And he’s certainly been impressive since coming over to the UFC from Cage Warriors in 2023.
Hit: Call A Medic…But Not For Medic
For a second straight fight, Uros Medic managed to win via KO/TKO in just 63 seconds, this time not needing much to put away Muslim Salikhov.
Medic did damage with leg kicks early on before dropping Salikhov with a left hand. He then landed some ground-and-pound until the referee intervened.
Medic is a consistent finisher, and he’s now won three of four and four of six. While the move to 170 has been a bit of a mixed bag so far, another win should allow Medic to be in consideration for a fight against a contender.
Hit: Joseph Morales Is Back
Joseph Morales had perhaps the most feel-good moment of the night, solidifying a successful return to the Octagon with a finish of Matt Schnell in the co-main event.
Schnell is a successful grappler in his own right, but taking Morales down very first thing proved to be a mistake. Morales reversed in top position and worked well in side control. After threatening a kimura, Morales made his way into locking up a guillotine, which earned him a first-round submission victory.
After going 1-2 in his first UFC stint, Morales made waves on The Ultimate Fighter season 33 when he knocked off Eduardo Henrique in a battle of top picks in the first fight of the season. He’d score a controversial decision over Imanol Rodriguez before submitting Alibi Idiris in the final at UFC 319.
Miss: Morales’ 6-7 Celly
I hate this stupid meme. Those who know me will understand why. Next.
Hit: Gabriel Bonfim Ready For A Step Up?
I’m not going to put any thought or make any discussion of Mark Smith stopping the fight when he did. It was a bizarre finish where both ended up on the mat, and the way Brown fell after the knee was concerning. And if Gabriel Bonfim landed some follow-up shot(s) that put Brown out worse, Smith would have been crucified anyway. That’s too tough of a spot for a ref to be in and judge him on.
So, let’s focus on Bonfim.
Bonfim absolutely chewed up Brown’s legs with the low kicks he handed out in the opening round. Brown looked to bring out his striking in the second round, but Bonfim quickly put a stop to that — and the fight itself — with his knee to the head.
Bonfim has now won four straight since suffering the first loss of his career. While the win over Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson was a controversial call, this finish of Brown now gives him a second performance bonus in that stretch.
I wouldn’t say this win should put him way up the welterweight rankings; however, after fending off someone unranked like Brown, Bonfim’s next fight should come against someone lower-ranked in the top 10, or else whoever is at No. 11 by the time he fights again.
While the decision of referee Mark Smith will be debated, Gabriel Bonfim’s performance can’t be, as he scores a finish of Randy Brown in the main event of UFC Vegas 111.
Bonfim focused on leg kicks in the first round, with 19 of his 20 significant strikes landing coming in such a fashion. And it seemed to do numbers, chewing up Brown’s front leg and somewhat limiting his movement.
Brown, however, started to fire back in the second round, coming out right away with combinations. A knee to the head by Bonfim, however, saw Brown go down in concerning fashion. While Brown protested immediately afterward, Smith deemed the way Brown crumbled to the mat worthy of a stoppage.
Another terrible #Ufc decision by Mark Smith.. an instant fight stop when he was absolutely fine to carry on. Is the UFC fixed? pic.twitter.com/IiHQBseHNE
Bonfim has now won four straight since losing his undefeated record after 15 fights. Bonfim is now 6-1 in the Octagon since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Joseph Morales’ official UFC return ends in a big way for him, as he secured a first-round submission of Matt Schnell in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 111.
Though Schnell got the fight to the mat quickly, Morales managed to reverse position and get into side control quickly as well. Morales kept the pressure, eventually threatening a kimura before settling into a crucifix.
Morales then managed to work his way into a guillotine choke, forcing a first-round tapout victory.
Joseph Morales Submits Matt Schnell At UFC Vegas 111
Slick transition from Bopo Morales to the guillotine.
His career revitalization has been a beautiful thing to watch.
Urijah Faber told me that he is the longest standing member of Team Alpha Male. Has been training there since he was a child.
Morales went 1-2 in the UFC during his first tenure in 2017-18, which included a loss to future flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Morales won season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter through victories over Eduardo Henrique, Imanol Rodriguez, and Alibi Idiris.
Schnell has now lost four of his last five and is winless in five of his last seven fights.
Uros Medic is one of those fighters that seems to ensure a finish is going to happen. And for the second straight time, Medic only needs about a minute to score a victory, knocking out Muslim Salikhov at UFC Vegas 111.
Medic looked to bring out his striking right away with his leg kicks, and he seemed to do damage with one of those kicks early on. But a left hand saw him knock Salikhov to the mat.
Medic followed up with some ground-and-pound before the referee called off the action.
Uros Medic Earns Fast Finish Of Muslim Salikhov At UFC Vegas 111
Christian Leroy Duncan is known for the finishes he’s brought, and he delivered one of his best, if not perhaps his absolute best, in his win over Marco Tulio at UFC Vegas 111.
Duncan’s striking was on display from the beginning, looking to land in a flashy fashion early on. In fact, a spinning elbow landed flush and busted Tulio open. Tulio, however, sought after the takedown and managed to score there. The two jockey for top position on the mat.
Duncan’s flashy striking set was on display again in the second round, but Tulio pressured back and ended up opening a cut around one of Duncan’s eyes. But it was all for naught, as Duncan landed a spinning elbow that wobbled Tulio. He then landed a right hand that folded Tulio up out cold.
Christian Leroy Duncan KOs Marco Tulio At UFC Vegas 111
CLD, the former Cage Warriors middleweight champion, is now 6-2 in the Octagon, with five wins in his last six fights. He entered this fight off another highlight finishes in August, when he defeated Eryk Anders.
Tulio sees a 10-fight win streak snapped with this defeat. He holds victories over Tresean Gore, Ihor Potieria, and Yousri Belgaroui.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti can now be considered a legitimate contender in the UFC’s women’s bantamweight scene following her victory over former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC Vegas 111.
Silva seemed to be slow on the trigger during the bout’s opening round, as Cavalcanti established control with her jab and leg kicks. She turned up the pace in the second round, mixing up her striking while also working in the clinch.
Cavalcanti’s boxing was on full display by the time the third round arrived, and there, she managed to walk down and pressure Bueno Silva with her striking, doing damage around her face, as she went on to take the scorecards.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti Bests Mayra Bueno Silva At UFC Vegas 111
They should give Cavalcanti a top-5 opponent next.
She’s under 30 and has a style that will give everyone in the division fits.
Why do I have to say this every week on the podcast? “You can’t win a fight if you don’t throw punches” Cavalcanti looks good but Bueno Silva just won’t throw. Her coaches have to be so frustrated with her
I think Cavalcanti is really good!! She just needs the confidence to let her hands go a bit more because she's actually got all the fundamentals #UFCVegas111
Something is wrong with Bueno Silva. I've never seen her look timid like this. Credit goes to Cavalcanti but MBS came in not looking like she had good energy. #UFCVegas111
Cavalcanti is now 10-1 as a pro, including a 5-0 run in the UFC since her September 2023 Octagon debut. She has won eight consecutive fights overall.
Bueno Silva has now lost four straight since falling short in a women’s bantamweight title fight with Raquel Pennington at UFC 297. She is also winless in her last five, as her 2023 win over Holly Holm was overturned to a no contest.
Josh Hokit grabbed the attention of the MMA community — for better or worse — following his win on Dana White’s Contender Series earlier this year. Now, Hokit feels he has made a statement in his Octagon debut with his win over Max Gimenis at UFC Vegas 111.
Very quickly, Hokit managed to bring the power with a right hand that forced Gimenis back. He’d end up firing a flurry that put Gimenis down. He’d get back up, but Hokit’s attack seemed to put Gimenis out on his feet before the referee stopped the action.
Following the win, Hokit used his post-fight interview to trash talk Valter Walker and call him out.
Josh Hokit Scores Sub-Minute KO In UFC Debut At UFC Vegas 111
Hokit made his professional MMA debut in late 2023, competing in Bellator twice and in LFA three times before his appearance on DWCS. There, he finished Guilherme Uriel to earn a UFC contract.
This also marked the UFC debut for Gimenis, a veteran of Shogun Fights and the IBJJF.
It seemed like it was going to be a rough go for Zachary Reese, taking his UFC Vegas 111 bout on short notice. Reese, however, managed to take some punishment before scoring a come-from-behind win over Jackson McVey in the first bout of the evening.
McVey brought pressure early, landing elbows in close, including in the clinch. Reese brought some power of his own, but McVey combined those in-close shots with some solid knees that rocked, and at one point dropped, Reese. Reese, however, managed to weather the storm and see the second round.
In that second frame, Reese took advantage of a tired McVey, bringing him to the mat and locking up a choke that gave him the submission victory.
Zachary Reese Gets Win Over Jackson McVey In Comeback Fashion At UFC Vegas 111
Great start from McVey but he gassed quick and Zach Reese gets him out of there easily once he did. Good job by Reese to weather the early storm and get the win #UFCVegas111
Reese is now unbeaten in three straight and is 3-1 (1 NC) in his last five fights. He came into this bout, taking it on days’ notice, off a no contest with Sedriques Dumas in September at Noche UFC 3.
McVey, who was originally scheduled to face Robert Valentin, is now 0-2 in the UFC. He made his UFC debut at UFC 318 in July in a loss to Brunno Ferreira.
UFC Vegas 111 is almost here, and we here at MMA News are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.
The card takes place from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, November 8. The main card portion of the event will start at 7PM ET/4PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 4PM ET/1PM PT.
The headline attraction for the event will feature Gabriel Bonfim taking on Randy Brown in a welterweight matchup.
In the co-main event, Joseph Morales makes his Octagon return for the first time since winning The Ultimate Fighter season 33, as he takes on Matt Schnell in flyweight action.
The main card will also feature Muslim Salikhov vs. Uros Medic, Chris Padilla vs. Israel Bonfim, and Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Marco Tulio.
UFC Vegas 111: Gabriel Bonfim vs. Randy Brown Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Vegas 111 as of November 8 (Fight day) at 1pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Welterweight: Gabriel Bonfim (-170) vs. Randy Brown (+142)
Flyweight: Matt Schnell (+330) vs. Joseph Morales (-425)
Welterweight: Muslim Salikhov (+114) vs. Uros Medic (-135)
Catchweight (161 lbs): Chris Padilla (+100) vs. Israel Bonfim (-120)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (+140) vs. Marco Tulio (-166)
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Hyder Amil (-130) vs. Jamall Emmers (+110)
Bantamweight: Ricky Simon (-175) vs. Raoni Barcelos (+145)
Women’s Bantamweight: Mayra Bueno Silva (+180) vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (-218)
Heavyweight: Josh Hokit (-410) vs. Max Gimenis (+320)
Bantamweight: Miles Johns (+154) vs. Daniel Marcos (-185)
Women’s Strawweight: Tecia Pennington (+150) vs. Denise Gomes (-180)
Catchweight (195 lbs): Jackson McVey (+220) vs. Zachary Reese (-270)
The Factory X gym is fighting back against reports from MMA journalist and New York-based promoter Harry Mac that an FBI raid took place on its premises.
Mac took to social media during the afternoon of November 6 that FBI agents made their way to Factory X, the Marc Montoya-led gym based in Englewood, Colorado.
Breaking update: the FBI has raided Factory X. No arrests at this time but they’ve confiscated phones and conducted interviews
“There is a false report circulating that Factory X has been raided by the FBI following the events of last weekend’s UFC event. This is not true,” the statement read. “The allegations that our gym had or has any sort of involvement in fight-fixing last weekend – or ever – is both devastating and heartbreaking. This is a family-owned gym that has been in good standing in our community for over 15 years.
“We unequivocally stand by our innocence and at this point would welcome a visit from the FBI as we have absolutely nothing to hide. We understand and accept it is human nature to form opinions from the outside looking in given the available information. We have no doubt the truth will prevail, justice will be served and our good name will be restored. Until then, we welcome your prayers for our strength and peace.”
The MMA world has been engulfed in a betting scandal since a controversial fight last weekend at UFC Vegas 110. Isaac Dulgarian entered his fight with Yadier Del Valle as a massive favorite; however, his line shrunk by nearly 100 as bets on a first-round finish by Del Valle began to increase in a quick span hours before the fight. Del Valle ended up submitting Dulgarian in the first.
Mac alleges that the FBI is investigating over 100 UFC fights that have been flagged for unusual betting activity. He would later follow up that the UFC Vegas 110 main event between Steve Garcia and David Onama, as well as the Charles Radtke vs. Daniel Frunza fight that took place at the event, are also being investigated.
Ariel Helwani was unable to confirm Mac’s report completely; however, he did note that this “was not an isolated incident.” And since then, a few fighters have come forward about being approached about potentially taking dives.
UFC President and CEO Dana White refuted Mac’s claims and said the promotion worked with the FBI quickly after previously questioning Dulgarian and his lawyer — and then seeing the fight played out as it did.
Mac has also alleged that fights refereed by Jason Herzog are being audited; however, Herzog is disputing this as well.
Harry Mac, who has worked as both an MMA journalist and a New York-based promoter, has been the center reporting figure for the betting scandal that has engulfed the UFC and the MMA community over the past several days.
Mac’s original post on X (fka Twitter) on the situation mentioned that there were two other fighters from UFC Vegas 110 whose fights were flagged, though he did not name those athletes.
However, on a recent episode of the Empty the Bench Network’s The MMA Outsiders podcast with Jack Gold and Zain Bando (and featured MMA News’ own Thomas Albano as a guest co-host), Mac alleged that UFC Vegas 110 headliner David Onama and Daniel Frunza as the other fighters he was making mention to.
“In my original post, I had mentioned that there were two additional fighters on [UFC Vegas 110] flagged for abnormal betting activity,” Mac said. “Onama was one of them.”
Mac then added “Frunza” when asked who the third fighter was.
Harry Mac Names David Onama, Daniel Frunza As UFC Vegas 110 Names Flagged Alongside Isaac Dulgarian
Fight fans across the MMA community on X called for an investigation into that finish following the reveal of the Dulgarian controversy and Mac’s original post.
Frunza was also involved in the UFC Vegas 110 main card, losing via last-minute submission to Charles Radtke.
During the interview, Mac noted that while the fights and fighters have been flagged, it does not necessarily mean that any wrongdoing was committed by them and/or their teams.
“That could just be some guy has a hunch and plays a little bit more than he normally would,” Mac said.
The MMA Outsiders’ Jack Gold also made mention of receiving a potential list from an unnamed source of 50 fights that could have potentially been part of the 100 flagged mentioned by Mac — with Garcia vs. Onama being one of those fights.
Gold noted that a number of the fights on the list he received were refereed by Jason Herzog. One of Mac’s allegations is that enough fights Herzog has officiated have been deemed questionable enough that an audit may be issued on them.
After about three days of silence following UFC Vegas 110 and the snowballing controversy that has engulfed the MMA world, UFC CEO and President Dana White is breaking his silence in regard to the situation involving Isaac Dulgarian.
Dulgarian was involved in a highly controversial fight with Yadier Del Valle, which saw Dulgarian, who was originally pegged as a massive favorite earlier in the fight week, fall victim to a first-round submission via rear-naked choke.
As the fight time got closer, however, the line on Dulgarian being a favorite massively shrunk.
In an interview with TMZ, White claimed the UFC were informed of the matter and confronted Dulgarian and his team.
“Probably about 1:00 pm that day, we’re with a company called IC360, and they are the best bet monitoring company in the business, and they reached out to us and they told us that there was some unusual action going on with that fight,” White said. “Do we know anything? You know, we didn’t. So, what we did was we called the fighter and his lawyer and said, “What’s going on? There’s some weird action going on in your bet…”
Dana White Gives His Side To Isaac Dulgarian Situation
White says that Dulgarian and his team said they were ready to go for the fight and nothing suspicious was going on — this coincides with Ariel Helwani’s reporting on the situation.
White says the promotion took action after the fight played out as it did.
“Literally, the first thing we did was call the FBI,” White said, adding that he had two meetings with the FBI on November 4.
“Now, you see people out there talking, ‘Oh, there’s hundreds of fights under…’ – it’s total usual clickbait,” White said. “IC3, our company, they monitor all all of the betting. Like I said, they’re the best in the business. There aren’t hundreds of fights being investigated. all clickbait BS.
“We’ve been with them for years and we get a report after every single fight that we do.”
White added that he is in direct contact with FBI Director Kash Patel about the investigation. He added any fighter who has made comment about being offered to throw a fight — such as Vince Morales and Vanessa Demopoulos recently did on social media — will be contacted by the FBI for an interview.
White ended with a strongly-worded message to his fighters.
“If you try to do this, I have been very vocal and open about this; we will be your worst enemy,” White said. “We will immediately go after you, guns ablazing, with the FBI and whoever else we need to get. We will do everything we can to make sure you go to prison.”
While plans are still being discussed and yet to be revealed for the UFC White House event next summer, it sounds like U.S. President Donald Trump will not be the only VIP from the political world present.
Per a new report from Variety, which discusses the start of David Ellison’s time with Paramount, a pre-fight dinner is expected to be held by Trump and UFC CEO and President Dana White at some point in the lead up to the card.
The report notes that “dignitaries from around the world will attend a dinner and then head to the Octagon, the eight-sided ring where the main event will play out. Trump and UFC CEO Dana White are spearheading the telecast.”
The targeted date of the event is Sunday, June 14, 2026, to coincides with Trump’s 80th birthday. That date, however, is not set firm at this time.
Dinner With Dignitaries Expected As Part Of UFC White House Festivities
The UFC event on the White House lawn is to be a part of a series of events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
Trump first announced the plans for this card during a speech this past July 4th, with the UFC confirming plans to hold such a festivity. White has been adamant about this card going down as one of the biggest in the history of the promotion — promising several big names to be a part of the event.
Fighters such as Conor McGregor and Jon Jones have put their names in the hat to potentially headline the card.
The event will reportedly have a limited in-person audience and is presumed to be one of the CBS-broadcasted cards as part of the new UFC-Paramount broadcasting deal that begins in 2026.
