Michael Morales may be next in line for a shot at the UFC welterweight championship after scoring a first-round finish of Sean Brady in a title eliminator at UFC 322.
Despite the reach disadvantage in this one, Brady tried to get his striking going in the early portion of the fight. But things changed when Morales landed a flurry that stunned and dropped Brady.
Brady got back up but continued to get tagged by Morales. Another combination dropped Brady, with follow-up shots prompting the referee to wave off the fight.
Michael Morales Bests Sean Brady In Welterweight Title Eliminator At UFC 322
It's so crazy to picture future fights of Islam vs guys like Carlos Prates & Michael Morales lmao.
These guys are fucking NUTS. Welterweight is an INSANE division right now.
The momentum of the Fighting Nerds seems to be slowly coming back, as Carlos Prates scores a second straight highlight knockout, finishing former welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 322.
Edwards got the better of Prates in the first round, using his grappling to press Prates against the fence, trading trash talk with Prates in the clinch. Edwards continued to get the better offensively, setting things up to score a takedown during the first and gaining back control.
But one punches changes everything, and that’s all Prates needed. Prates landed a left straight that broke through Edwards’ guard and connected on the button, dropping Edwards out cold for a second-round finish.
Carlos Prates Puts Out Leon Edwards At UFC 322
Carlos Prates with his own head shot dead.
First person to ever knock out Leon Edwards #UFC322
Prates has scored finishes in all of his wins since December 2021, including all of his victories in the UFC. He’s now won two straight via knockout since his sole blemish in the UFC — losing to Ian Machado Garry earlier this year.
Edwards has now lost three straight, having been finished now by both Prates and Sean Brady since dropping the UFC welterweight title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304.
Benoit Saint-Denis is certainly going to be in the top 10 of the lightweight picture come the start of next week, needing just 16 seconds to stop Beneil Dariush at UFC 322.
Dariush seemed to trip BSD up with a leg kick to start. But a follow-up clinch would see Saint-Denis land a pair of left hands, one of which caused Dariush to faceplant on the mat. BSD landed one more shot as referee Herb Dean stepped in to wave off the fight.
Benoit Saint-Denis KOs Beneil Dariush In Mere Seconds At UFC 322
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.
UFC 322 took place tonight from Madison Square Garden in New York City, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena looked to defend his title against Islam Makhachev. While in the co-main event, women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko took on Zhang Weili.
UFC 322 Results: Main Card
Welterweight title: Islam Makhachev def. Jack Della Maddalena via unanimous decision (50-45×3) Women’s flyweight title: Valentina Shevchenko def. Zhang Weili via unanimous decision (50-45×3) Welterweight: Michael Morales def. Sean Brady via TKO: R1, 3.27 Welterweight: Carlos Prates def. Leon Edwards via KO: R2, 1.28 Lightweight: Benoit Saint Denis def. Beneil Dariush via KO: R1, 0.16
Preliminary Card
Middleweight: Bo Nickal def. Rodolfo Vieira via KO: R3, 2.24 Middleweight: Gregory Rodrigues def. Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28) Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield def. Tracy Cortez via submission: R2, 4.44 Featherweight: Ethyn Ewing def. Malcolm Wellmaker via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28×2)
Early Preliminary Card
Middleweight: Kyle Daukaus def. Gerald Meerschaert via submission: R1, 0.50 Featherweight: Pat Sabatini def. Chepe Mariscal via unanimous decision (30-27×3) Strawweight: Fatima Kline def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28) Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev def. Eric McConico via KO: R3, 1.38 Lightweight: Matheus Camilo def. Viacheslav Borshchev via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
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
Javier Mendez has given his thoughts on who Islam Makhachev could face if he manages to win the UFC welterweight championship tomorrow night.
In the main event of UFC 322, Islam Makhachev will challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the UFC welterweight title. If he’s able to get the job done, he will join an exclusive club of fighters who have been able to win world titles in two weight classes in the promotion.
Of course, Islam Makhachev can’t afford to look past JDM given how dangerous the champion is. With that being said, you would have to imagine that there are plenty of fighters who would be willing to challenge Islam for the belt if he does, in fact, leave Madison Square Garden with the strap.
In a recent interview, Javier Mendez listed a few names that Islam Makhachev could defend the belt against if that happens.
Javier Mendez’s view on Islam Makhachev’s future
“The one guy I think probably deserves it more than everybody, based on his title run when he was the champ, is Kamaru Usman,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “Look what he just did with (Joaquin) Buckley. He stopped the hype train, and did it in impressive fashion. So I would think that his hat has got to be in there as a contender for that title. His title run, being the greatest welterweight of all time, in my opinion, has got to be in there, too.
“For us, it would suck because we care a lot about the guy, but it’s a business, and whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Even Belal (Muhammad), it is what it is. We didn’t want to fight Belal, but what if Belal wins and we win, and all of a sudden we get offered a fight with him? It’s going to be up to the fighters to decide, but it’s going to suck for us on both of those, if any of those happen.”
“If you’re asking me what the fans are going to want to see, I’m going to have to go with Topuria,” Mendez said. “If we manage to get the win like we’re expecting and wanting to, I would think that Dana (White) is all about creating the most, biggest buzz, and I think the biggest buzz is Topuria if he goes up in weight – if that’s what happens. So right now, I can see so many different scenarios happening, but those two are the top of the list, in my opinion.”
Former UFC champion Leon Edwards has thrown a shot back at Ian Machado Garry as the two continue to go back and forth at one another.
On Saturday night, Leon Edwards faces a big challenge in the form of a clash with Carlos Prates. ‘Rocky’ is coming off the back of consecutive losses at the hands of Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady, and if he’s serious about climbing back into welterweight title contention, this is an absolute must-win for him.
One man who doesn’t seem to be a big fan of Leon Edwards is none other than Ian Machado Garry. After the controversies surrounding them training together, the Irishman has made no secret of the fact that he believes Leon is on the decline.
In a pre-fight interview with Ariel Helwani, Leon Edwards had the following to say about Machado Garry.
Leon Edwards hits back at Ian Machado Garry
“Ian’s biggest achievement right now in the sport is losing to Shavkat, and that’s facts,” Edwards said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “That’s his greatest achievement, that he can brag that he didn’t get finished and that he lost to Shavkat. If it comes, it comes. iIf it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
Edwards has had to deal with a lot of adversity in his life and career, and although Machado Garry would serve as a really dangerous opponent if the two ever fought, we can’t imagine that he would shy away from this challenge. If anything, he would embrace it.
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
Former UFC champion Israel Adesanya believes Jack Della Maddalena will knock Islam Makhachev out in the main event of UFC 322.
On Saturday night, Jack Della Maddalena will defend his UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev. While Islam is considered to be the favorite by many, JDM has been on an incredible run in the last few years, culminating in him defeating Belal Muhammad to become the new champion at 170 pounds.
Of course, Jack Della Maddalena himself will likely admit that this is one of the toughest tests available in the welterweight division, and that he will have to be at the top of his game if he’s going to come out with the victory.
In a recent video, Israel Adesanya backed Jack Della Maddalena to get the job done in New York City.
Israel Adesanya’s prediction for Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev
“I’m not trying to count Islam out, but I just know Jack. I know that when Jack keeps getting up, it’s going to be a problem,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Islam’s going to be forced to strike, and when he’s forced to strike with Jack, he’s going to get hurt. I think Islam’s the best of the Dagestanis, one of the best fighters in history, one of the most efficient, but even Dustin was able to get up and stop his submissions, and Dustin’s a f*cking gun.
“I’ve seen it live what Volkanovski can do with Islam when they were in Perth. That’s why I know he’s going to hurt Islam. Jack Della, I don’t see him getting hurt, I’ve never seen him get stopped. …I do think Islam will be able to get him down, but for how long? Not for long. He’s going to get stuffed from the beginning, in the middle, until Jack ends it.”
“I really think Jack Della Maddalena has the skills to stifle Islam’s game and just put it on the feet, and knock him out,” Adesanya said. “Might be second round, might be third, but we’ll see.”
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has made it known that he is interested in fighting the winner of the UFC 322 main event.
On Saturday night, Jack Della Maddalena will defend his UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev. While it’s hard to look past that huge main event clash, Kamaru Usman is already looking to the future.
The former champ defeated Joaquin Buckley in his last outing and in doing so, proved to many that he still has what it takes to be a real player at 170 pounds.
In a recent interview, Kamaru Usman declared his interest in fighting the winner for the belt at some point next year.
Kamaru Usman wants title shot after UFC 322
“A lot of people had a lot of questions: ‘Can he still fight? Is he still this guy? Is he still this way?’ I hope I proved that to everyone (against Buckley),” Usman told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I have my eye on this weekend. We’ll see who comes out victorious (Della Maddalena or Makhachev). I think it’s a big fight, it’s a good fight, it’s a tough fight for both guys. I’m sitting here looking at the winner like, ‘All right, let’s run it.’”
He continued, “I’m in a position now to where I want the biggest, most challenging fights out there, because I understand that I don’t have another 20 fights left in the company. Anything could happen, so if you can get that next one and it could be that fight, then that’s what I want.”
UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov has opened up on how the passing of his father back in 2020 impacted his mixed martial arts career.
As we know, Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely considered to be one of the greatest fighters of all time. He retired with an incredible 29-0 record in the sport, and along the way, he defeated legends like Conor McGregor, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier and Rafael dos Anjos.
However, following his win over Gaethje, Khabib Nurmagomedov made the decision to retire in the aftermath of his father’s passing.
In a recent interview, Khabib Nurmagomedov went into more detail about the process of him deciding to fight one more time before eventually walking away.
Khabib Nurmagomedov discusses his father’s passing
“It was not only mother, it was all situation that happened, everything coming together,” Nurmagomedov said. “I saw a lot of rumors why I retired, because of that, because of this, and I think if my father still alive, he would make me fight a little bit longer, because I just turned 32 when I finished.
“But he passed away and it was a very honest and good conversation with [my mother]. It’s hard to explain. Everything happened so fast.
“Everything was happening so fast, even when father passed away, I don’t even have time to think what I have to do because they make interim title, Justin Gaethje-Tony Ferguson, father passed away, and UFC told me, ‘We’re going to give you one month off. After one month, come back to us with what you’re going to do.’
“It was a very difficult situation. From one side, it was all world waiting for this fight. On the other side, I had this deal, what happened with me and father and mother on the other side, and I chose what mother wished. ”
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.
