UFC 320 is just a couple of days away, featuring a pair of anticipated title fights. Time to stir the pot more and gain more hype for UFC 320, courtesy of a good ol’ fashion question-and-answer session.
The tenth UFC pay-per-view event of the year goes down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, October 4.
UFC 320 will be headlined by Magomed Ankalaev defending the UFC light heavyweight championship in a rematch with Alex Pereira.
The co-main event will see Merab Dvalishvili defending the UFC bantamweight championship against Cory Sandhagen.
The rest of the main card features a light heavyweight clash between Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr., a featherweight fight featuring Josh Emmett and Youssef Zalal, and a middleweight encounter that sees Abus Magomedov take on Joe Pyfer.
Watch The UFC 320: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2 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 returns to its home of Las Vegas with a pair of title fights this Saturday for UFC 320. 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, October 4. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will feature a rematch for the UFC light heavyweight championship, as Magomed Ankalaev makes his first defense, taking on the man he won the belt from, Alex Pereira.
The pair first met at UFC 313 in March, with Ankalaev executing a perfect gameplan to nullify Pereira’s offense and claim the championship. Ankalaev has not lost since dropping his UFC debut in March 2018, going 12-0-1 (1 NC) in that span. Pereira, who is also a former UFC middleweight champion, won the light heavyweight title by defeating Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295. He retained the title three times in 2024, defeating Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Prochazka at UFC 303, and Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307.
The co-main event of the evening will also see gold on the line, as Merab Dvalishvili defends the UFC bantamweight championship against Cory Sandhagen.
Dvalishvili has not lost since dropping his first two Octagon bouts. After defeating Sean O’Malley for the title at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 last year, Dvalishvili has since retained the gold against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 and O’Malley at UFC 316. Sandhagen has won four of his last five, most recently finishing Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Des Moines in May.
The rest of the UFC 320 main card will see light heavyweight action featuring Prochazka and Rountree Jr., a featherweight fight where Josh Emmett takes on Youssef Zalal, and a middleweight matchup between Abus Magomedov and Joe Pyfer.
UFC 320: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 320 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 nine cards in 2025.
Pranav Pandey (23-19) Thomas Albano (23-19)
Ryan Jarrell (22-20)
And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 320!
Middleweight: Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Pyfer has put together a solid run in the UFC, and aside from that slip-up against Jack Hermansson, I still see him as a real threat in the middleweight division. Meanwhile, I’m not entirely convinced about Abus Magomedov’s consistency, though there’s no denying he has the power to end a fight if he finds his shot. Still, I believe “Bodybagz” will be the sharper, more dangerous fighter on the night, and I’m backing him to get the job done. (Prediction: Pyfer)
Thomas Albano: I don’t want to exclusively refer to this as grappler vs. striker, as Abus Magomedov has a decent all-around game. Having said that, with Pyfer being better with his striking – and perhaps a desire to put on a show after a lackluster win over Kelvin Gastelum – expect him to push the pace while Magomedov tries to hold him back. Magomedov is going to need to mix things up, and he’s going to have to avoid tiring himself out. If Magomedov tries to be too focused on getting an impressive finish himself, a brutal consequence might await. The longer the fight goes, I feel Pyfer will have more of an edge, so I will lean to him scoring the win here. (Prediction: Pyfer)
Ryan Jarrell: Joe Pyfer has the tools to be a real problem in the middleweight division and this matchup should be an interesting test for the surging fighter. Abus is a well rounded fighter on a nice three fight win streak with his most recent win over the dynamic, Michel Periera. I expect Bodybagz to use his strength and grappling skills to dictate where the fight takes place throughout the duration of the contest. Give me Pyfer to win a decision in the main card curtain jerker. (Prediction: Pyfer)
Consensus: 3-0 Pyfer
Featherweight: Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Age could be a factor here, but with age comes experience, and Josh Emmett has plenty of that to lean on. He’s been around long enough to know how to trade with precision on the feet, and he still carries fight-ending power in his hands. Sure, his recent form hasn’t been the best, but those losses came against some of the elite in the division.
On the other side, Zalal brings youth, freshness, and a dangerous finishing instinct, especially when he’s able to drag opponents into his world on the canvas. The real question is whether Emmett can shrug off those grappling exchanges. If he can keep “The Moroccan Devil” from controlling the fight on the ground, I think the veteran has a very fair shot at reminding everyone why he’s still a serious threat. (Prediction: Emmett)
Thomas Albano: Simply put, this is a battle of experienced talent versus rising, talented youth name. Emmett’s got power and wrestling, and he shouldn’t be written off. That said, you can see age showing its presence by how he looked a little slower in his loss against Lerone Murphy. I could see Zalal utilizing his speed to land quick strikes and control the action around the Octagon – and potentially go tit-for-tat with Emmett on the ground. I’m not going to deny Emmett’s abilities and power, but I will say I think this is a fight where the youth wins out. (Prediction: Zalal)
Ryan Jarrell: Youssef Zalal looked absolutely incredible in the first two rounds of the Calvin Kattar fight. His timing and movement looked as good as I’ve seen at featherweight and if that version of the Moroccan devil shows up in Las Vegas then it will be a long night for the veteran fighter. Josh Emmett, however, has fight altering power and can change the trajectory of a fight with one shot. This fight will come down to just that. I believe the movement of Zalal will be too superior and he will avoid the power shots of Emmett en route to a smartly fought unanimous decision victory. (Prediction: Zalal)
Consensus: 2-1 Zalal
Light Heavyweight: Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: This one screams top-tier violence, the kind of chaos that could swing either way. Both men are among the most dangerous strikers at 205 pounds, yet their styles couldn’t be more different, and that contrast is what makes this matchup so intriguing. Rountree Jr. is as fundamentally sound as they come, throwing clean, precise shots with bone-crushing power. “The War Horse” put on a strong showing against Pereira even though he fell short, and his fight with Jamahal Hill proved just how much he’s leveled up.
But things are never straightforward against Prochazka. He’s unorthodox, unpredictable, and nearly impossible to read. You never know what angle his strikes will come from or how he’ll set traps in the chaos. For me, this feels like a pure 50-50 fight, but if I have to choose, I’m putting my money on “BJP” to find a way in the madness. (Prediction: Prochazka)
Thomas Albano: After UFC Baku, people were calling for this match, and now it will be delivered. If you like power, if you like strikes, and if you especially like kicks, this is going to be the matchup for you. Both men are excellent strikers, albeit one (Prochazka) is more wild, while the other (Rountree) is more strategical. Both men are tough to finish, but even with a potential grappling edge in Rountree, I feel Prochazka will be looking to continuously pressure and use his power to put Rountree in trouble. And given their UFC resumes side-by-side as well, I’ll lean toward the former champion in this one. (Prediction: Prochazka)
Ryan Jarrell: This fight is so interesting because Rountree has the power to turn off anyone’s lights including Prochazka. We saw Khalil fight incredibly disciplined in his impressive win over the former champion, Jamahal Hill. I can honestly see a very similar fight happening here, however, Jiri is more dynamic and unpredictable inside the octagon. Because of that I expect some crazy moments where both men may be in trouble and it could come down to who fights the smarter fight. I don’t feel great about this pick but I will lean Rountree to stay disciplined and fight somewhat safe en route to a decision victory. (Prediction: Rountree)
Consensus: 3-0 Prochazka
Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: Few fighters earn their nicknames quite like “The Machine.” Dvalishvili is a generational talent, and I personally love watching his relentless style; elite opponents constantly struggle to figure him out. He imposes his will, grinding down challengers with his endless cardio and ceaseless pressure.
But then there’s Sandhagen, a master of striking, with fluid footwork, sharp angles, and a frame built to leverage every punch. In a world without Dvalishvili, Sandhagen’s weaponry could give almost anyone trouble. But the truth is, keeping pace with Merab’s relentless pressure and nonstop output is a different challenge altogether. “The Machine” shines when opponents try to chase him
“The Machine” will need to stay sharp against Sandhagen’s power shots; otherwise, he could cruise to another dominant control win, or maybe even a stoppage. (Prediction: Dvalishvili)
Thomas Albano: For Dvalishvili, this is a fight where if he wins, he may have locked up Fighter of the Year awards across MMA media when 2025 comes to an end. Sandhagen is a tough competitor with great boxing, and he will need to use it to secure a victory here. The problem is, with all due respect to him, I don’t see him as too much of a threat. Sure, he’s got good takedown defense, but Dvalishvili is another level of animal when it comes to takedowns and grappling. And even as champion, I feel Dvalishvili has continued to show improvements, from a comeback victory to retain against Umar Nurmagomedov, to being able to finish Sean O’Malley in their rematch. Give me Dvalishvili in a one-sided decision to keep the gold and lock himself in as 2025’s Fighter of the Year. (Prediction: Dvalishvili)
Ryan Jarrell: Until I actually see the Champion lose his belt, I just cannot pick against him. Merab has proven to be such a tough out for anyone in the world at 135 pounds. Cory Sandhagen has the skillset to be a champion and he definitely poses some interesting challenges to the champ. But at the end of day, Merab always finds a way to win and that’s exactly what I expect to see in the co-main event. Merab will dictate where the fight takes place and cruise to a unanimous decision victory. (Prediction: Dvalishvili)
Consensus: 3-0 Dvalishvili
Light Heavyweight Championship: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2
Images: UFC.com
Pranav Pandey: After a first fight that fell short of expectations, this rematch feels like the redemption both fans and fighters were craving. Now that Ankalaev and Pereira have studied each other’s every move, we can expect a sharper, smarter, and more intense battle. At UFC 313, Ankalaev had the upper hand against “Poatan,” making the most of his sharp striking and masterful counter-punching. Every grappling attempt he tried was neatly defended by Pereira, who struggled to get his offense going. Now, the big question is what new tricks Ankalaev will bring. With his arsenal of tools—from cutting angles with surgical precision to exploiting every weakness—he’s ready to constantly keep Pereira on edge.
On the flip side, I’m genuinely curious to see how Pereira has evolved for this rematch. In their first fight, he seemed hesitant to pull the trigger, but we all know “Poatan” carries some of the most devastating kicks in MMA. I think those kicks will be a crucial weapon to slow down Ankalaev’s forward pressure and shake up the fight’s rhythm.
Honestly, predicting this one has me torn. Both fighters bring incredible skill, and it could go either way. Still, I’m leaning toward Pereira to finally get the job done that slipped through his fingers last time. “Poatan’s” time to shine, but this is not going to be an easy night for him. (Prediction: Pereira)
Thomas Albano: Ultimately, the question here will be if Pereira is going to be able to make the adjustments from the first fight. His offense was completely neutralized by Ankalaev in March. He has claimed that he wasn’t at 100 percent for the fight (a fair argument perhaps given his activity level in 2024), but the UFC 313 bout showed that Ankalaev has what it takes to stop Pereira’s creative and powerful striking over the course of 25 minutes. And while I don’t want to count Chama out, if Ankalaev was able to do that once, what’s to say he won’t be able to do it again? (Prediction: Ankalaev)
Ryan Jarrell: My initial thought for this main event title fight was to pick Ankalaev to do the exact same thing we saw in their first tilt. But after hearing Poatan say he was injured and not close to 100%, I am hesitant to do so. If the former champ is being truthful about his previous injury, then this could be a vastly different fight then the one we saw at UFC 313. At the end of the day, Alex is 5 years older than the new champ in a sport where the young eat the old. I wouldn’t be shocked if Poatan lands one of his devastating strikes and wins by TKO, but I believe the safe play is to pick Ankalaev by decision. (Prediction: Ankalaev)
Consensus: 2-1 Ankalaev
That’ll do it for our UFC 320 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 320 card below.
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira
Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
Light Heavyweight: Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Featherweight: Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal
Middleweight: Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Ateba Gautier vs. Treston Vines
Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Muniz
Bantamweight: Chris Gutierrez vs. Farid Basharat
Featherweight: Daniel Santos vs. Joosang Yoo
Early Preliminary Card:
Women’s Bantamweight: Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos
Bantamweight: Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wiklacz
Welterweight: Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford
Gautier was originally set to clash with Ozzy Diaz on the preliminary card of UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, on Monday, the matchup fell through after Diaz withdrew from the middleweight bout due to undisclosed medical issues, leaving the 23-year-old Cameroonian without an opponent.
Ozzy Diaz is OUT of #UFC320, he announced, citing an unspecified medical issue. It’s unclear if Ateba Gautier will remain on the card pic.twitter.com/W6snLt8qHD
Initially, it was uncertain whether “The Silent Assassin” would remain on the UFC 320 card, but a short-notice replacement has now been secured, who is set to make his Octagon debut with just five days’ notice.
Image: @ateba_theassassin/Instagram
Ateba Gautier Will Fight Treston Vines At UFC 320
On Tuesday, Iridium Sports Agency announced via social media that Ateba Gautier will now face promotional debutant Treston Vines, who replaces Ozzy Diaz on the UFC 320 card this Saturday.
Gautier enters UFC 320 riding the momentum of a first-round knockout over Robert Valentin at UFC 318 in July, marking his seventh consecutive knockout victory. He earned his UFC contract in September 2024 with a second-round stoppage of Yura Naito on Dana White’s Contender Series.
“The Silent Assassin” now boasts a professional record of 8-1, including an unbeaten 2-0 slate in the UFC.
Meanwhile, Vines most recently competed at AFC 12: The Great Commission in August, scoring a first-round knockout victory. The 29-year-old American was set to face Andreas Tricomitis at LFA 219 next weekend before earning the call-up to the UFC.
Until now, Vines has primarily competed in regional promotions, amassing a professional record of 10-3, with seven of those wins coming by stoppage.
Dricus Du Plessis trusts Alex Pereira won’t repeat the mistakes he made in the first clash with Magomed Ankalaev.
Pereira is set to run it back with reigning light heavyweight champion Ankalaev in the UFC 320 main event on October 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two titles headline in the Fight Capital 🏆🏆#UFC320 Fight Week has officially started!
The two first met at UFC 313 in March, where “Poatan” showcased his stellar takedown defense by shutting down all 12 of Ankalaev’s attempts to bring the fight to the mat. Despite neutralizing the his opponent’s wrestling, Pereira found himself on the wrong side of the striking exchanges, as the Russian edged him across five rounds to claim the 205-pound title.
Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Dricus Du Plessis Believes Alex Pereira Will Defeat Magomed Ankalaev In UFC 320 Rematch
During a recent interview with Fight Forecast, Dricus Du Plessis shared his thoughts on the upcoming UFC 320 clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira. The former middleweight champion credited Ankalaev for emerging victorious at UFC 313 but warned that “Poatan” will return sharper, and far more dangerous in the rematch as he looks to reclaim his crown.
“I’ve been looking at the training footage of Pereira for this one.” Du Plessis said. “He looks scary. He looks angry. And, you know, we’ll see what that loss did to him. He has come back from a loss and came back to reclaim the title, but, this fight is a big fight for him. Ankalaev now has that confidence, of course, of being the champion. But, I’m going to go with Pereira on this one.”
“Stillknocks” went on to say he believes Pereira has addressed the weaknesses that cost him in their first encounter and is confident the Brazilian will correct those mistakes to finish Ankalaev at UFC 320.
“It wasn’t the fact that he got taken down. It’s the fact that he got smothered… He’s going to need to keep his back off the fence, and I do believe that they’ve spent enough time working on that. Him taking some time away from the sport was good for him… I really don’t see this fight going the distance this time, but I’m putting my money on Alex Pereira to claim the title. I have to go with him.”
Before his loss to Ankalaev, Alex Pereira successfully defended the light heavyweight title three times in 2024, scoring back-to-back knockout victories over Khalil Rountree Jr., Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill. “Poatan” now boasts a 9-2 UFC record, with seven of those wins coming via devastating knockouts.
The UFC 320 card has been dealt its first disruption.
UFC 320 is set for this Saturday, October 4, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The pay-per-view event will be highlighted by a championship doubleheader, with UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev defending his title in a highly anticipated rematch against former champion Alex Pereira in the main event.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, reigning UFC bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili will aim for his third title defense of the year against perennial contender Cory Sandhagen.
Two titles headline in the Fight Capital 🏆🏆#UFC320 Fight Week has officially started!
However, just five days out from the event, the stacked UFC 320 card has already taken a hit, as Ozzy Diaz announced on Monday via social media that he is withdrawing from his middleweight bout against Ateba Gautier due to medical issues.
As of now, it remains unclear whether Gautier will take on a replacement opponent on such late notice, or if the bout has been completely canceled or postponed to a later date.
Diaz last competed at UFC 313 this past March, securing a unanimous decision victory over Djorden Santos to rebound from a first-round knockout loss to Zhang Mingyang in November 2024. “One Hit” boasts a professional record of 10-3, with nine of his wins coming by stoppage.
On the other hand, Gautier is coming off a first-round knockout win over Robert Valentin at UFC 318 in July, extending his undefeated knockout streak to seven fights. “The Silent Assassin” holds a professional record of 8-1, including 2-0 in the UFC.
Image: UFC.com
How Does The Complete UFC 320 Lineup Stack Up?
Beyond the two headline title fights, UFC 320 features a loaded lineup filled with exciting matchups. Former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka will make his return to the Octagon against ex-title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. Meanwhile, former interim featherweight title contender Josh Emmett is set to clash with Youssef Zalal.
Here’s the current fight card for UFC 320:
Main Card
Light heavyweight title bout: Magomed Ankalaev (c) vs. Alex Pereira
Bantamweight title bout: Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Cory Sandhagen
Light heavyweight bout: Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Featherweight bout: Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal
Middleweight bout: Abusupiyan Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer
Preliminary Card
Middleweight bout: Ateba Gautier vs. TBA
Middleweight bout: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. André Muniz
Bantamweight bout: Chris Gutiérrez vs. Farid Basharat
Featherweight bout: Daniel Santos vs. Yoo Joo-sang
Women’s bantamweight bout: Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos
Bantamweight bout: Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wikłacz
Welterweight bout: Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
Welterweight bout: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford
Women’s flyweight bout: Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker
Magomed Ankalaev is insisting that Alex Pereira had an unfair advantage in their first fight.
Ankalaev is gearing up to defend his light heavyweight title for the first time against Pereira in the UFC 320 main event, set for October 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The two first clashed at UFC 313 this past March, where Ankalaev dethroned “Poatan” with a unanimous decision to capture the light heavyweight crown. While the Russian champ outworked Pereira on the feet across five hard-fought rounds, he also leaned heavily on his wrestling arsenal.
Still, Ankalaev’s grappling yielded nothing, as the resilient Brazilian shut down all 12 of his takedown attempts. Now, though, he believes it wasn’t a shortcoming in skill but rather an illicit tactic on Pereira’s part.
Image: UFC.com
Magomed Ankalaev Claims Alex Pereira Used Grease During UFC 313 Bout
Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira have been trading barbs ever since their first clash, and with UFC 320 drawing near, the rivalry is boiling over.
At a recent open workout in Las Vegas, the reigning light heavyweight champion accused “Poatan” of bending the rules in their UFC 313 showdown, alleging that Pereira greased up to make grappling exchanges far more difficult.
At a recent media interaction during an open workout in Las Vegas, the reigning light heavyweight champion doubled down on his coach Sukhrab Magomedov’s earlier accusations, claiming that “Poatan” bent the rules in their UFC 313 showdown by greasing up to make grappling exchanges nearly impossible.
“Also, I told my coach right away during the rounds that I felt like he was greased,” Magomed Ankalaev said through a translator. “He was just too slippery. These things happen in professional sport, I’m not accusing him of anything, but that’s just what I felt. I spar every day, I train every day, you can feel when people are slippery. It’s too much slippery. So I felt he was too greasy and that played a role also.”
Ankalaev rides a 14-fight unbeaten streak, boasting victories over notable names such as Aleksandar Rakic, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos. The 33-year-old Russian stands with a professional slate of 22-1-1 and one no contest, his lone setback coming back in March 2018 when he was submitted by Paul Craig in the third round.
Magomed Ankalaev is targeting UFC two-division champion status in the near future.
Ankalaev captured the light heavyweight crown earlier this year at UFC 313, narrowly defeating former champion Alex Pereira via a hard-fought unanimous decision in March.
Now, “Big Ank” is setting his sights on moving up a weight class to assert his dominance on an even bigger stage. But before he can chase those ambitions, the Russian champion must first settle the score with Pereira in their highly anticipated rematch, headlining UFC 320 on October 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Magomed Ankalaev Maps Out Path For Moving Up To UFC Heavyweight Division
Since joining the UFC light heavyweight division in March 2018, Magomed Ankalaev has faced nearly every top contender and compiled an impressive 14-fight unbeaten streak, including notable wins over Aleksandar Rakic, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos.
If “Big Ank” overcomes Alex Pereira once more at UFC 320, he will have little left to prove in the 205-pound division and would instantly be a contender among the heavyweights. During a recent interview with Ushatayka, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion revealed his plans to fight at least two more times before stepping up to the heavyweight division to test his skills against the biggest names in the sport.
“A heavy weight? These thoughts keep coming to me,” Ankalaev said. “I think a couple or three more fights. I think, two fights, and then I will think of moving to the heavy division.”
Ankalaev’s sole professional loss came at UFC London in March 2018, where he fell to Paul Craig via a last-minute submission. Since then, the only mark on his UFC record was a draw against former champion Jan Blachowicz for the 205-pound title at UFC 282 in December 2022.
After Brian Ortega’s condition at the UFC Shanghai weigh-ins caused a lot of concern, his co-main event bout with Aljamain Sterling ultimately seemed to prove that the fight going on — let alone it being five rounds — was not worth it.
Sterling completely dominated the opening round by default, as he outstruck Ortega, who barely had much activity, 23-2. Ortega continued to not do much of anything in the second round — a round that saw the two get booed by the crowd and Herb Dean controversially pausing the action after Ortega claimed a punch to be an eye poke, and Sterling allowed the break instead of capitalizing.
Sterling continued to use his strikes to his advantage during the third round, mixing in leg kicks that busted up one of Ortega’s legs. Ortega tried to get a flurry going in the final minute of the round, but his pace dwindled again during the fourth round. Sterling scored a takedown in the final minute of the fourth round and landed some ground strikes on Ortega, who was desperate to land anything.
Sterling scored another pair of takedowns in the fifth round but he had to survive a rocking shot from Ortega, as well as a desperation triangle. Sterling ended up sweeping the judges’ scorecards.
Aljamain Sterling Wins Lackluster Decision Over Brian Ortega In UFC Shanghai Co-Main Event
After Brian Ortega missed weight this should’ve been made a 3 rounder #UFCShanghai
What an absolutely awful fight. Sterling is one of the most boring fighters in the UFC and Ortega flew him and his team all the way to China NOT to fight.
This fight had been scheduled to be a featherweight bout but was changed following weight-cut complications for Ortega. It had initially been reported during UFC Shanghai early weigh-ins that “T-City” was transported to the hospital and the fight was off.
Sterling is now 2-1 at featherweight since moving up after the end of his bantamweight title run. He’d use his post-fight interview to call out current champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Ortega has now lost four of his last five, and his future is most likely at lightweight following a pair of fights that saw him have weight cut issues.
Emmett and Zalal are currently ranked No. 8 and 9, respectively, in the UFC featherweight rankings as of UFC Shanghai.
Josh Emmett To Meet Youssef Zalal At UFC 320
Emmett has lost three of his last four. After over a year away from the Octagon, Emmett returned at UFC Vegas 105 in April, dropping a decision to potential future title challenger Lerone Murphy.
Zalal has won his last seven straight and is a perfect 4-0 since returning to the UFC last year.
UFC 320 is headlined by a light heavyweight title rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira and Merab Dvalshvili defending the bantamweight championship against Cory Sandhagen.
UFC 319 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 320 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The promotion was in Chicago last week, where the United Center played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its eighth numbered event of the year. Of note were headline wins for Khamzat Chimaev and Lerone Murphy, as well as important victories for Carlos Prates, Michael “Venom” Page, and Tim Elliott.
While the aftermath of the August 16 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the middleweight championship title picture to the light heavyweight and bantamweight championship conversations.
At UFC 320, which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 4, Magomed Ankalaev will defend the UFC light heavyweight championship against Alex Pereira. This will be a rematch of their UFC 313 encounter in March, which saw Ankalaev pull off the upset by decision to become the new champion.
Anakalev is 12-0-1 (1 NC) since dropping his UFC debut. Pereira, who has held gold at both 185 and 205 in the UFC, won the light heavyweight title by defeating Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295. He then defended the belt against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Prochazka at UFC 303, and Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307.
Stakes will also be high in the co-main event, as the bantamweight championship will be on the line when Merab Dvalishvili defends against Cory Sandhagen. Dvalishvili won the title from Sean O’Malley at Noche UFC 2 (UFC 306) last September and has successfully retained against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 and O’Malley at UFC 316. A win against Sandhagen could solidify Fighter of the Year awards for him across MMA media — to add onto the ESPY he received last month. Sandhagen has won four of his last five, finishing Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Des Moines in May.
Prochazka, Rakic, Magomedov Set The Stage For Light Heavyweight Title Headliner At UFC 320
Before Ankalaev and Dvalishvili make their way out to defend their titles, several names will look to make their own statements on the main card for UFC 320.
This includes Jiri Prochazka, who will be doing battle with Khalil Rountree Jr. Prochazka, a former light heavyweight champion, rebounded from his second loss to Pereira with a first-round knockout of another former champion in Jamahal Hill at UFC 311. Rountree Jr. rebounded from his unsuccessful challenge of Pereira with a five-round domination of Hill at UFC Baku a couple of months ago.
Another light heavyweight contender in Aleksandar Rakic will also be in action, taking on Azamat Murzakamov. This bout was scheduled for UFC 321 later in October but has been pushed up. Rakic will be looking to snap a three-fight losing skid, most recently dropping a decision to Ankalaev at UFC 308. Murzakamov is a 15-0 up-and-comer who scored a finish of Brendson Ribeiro at UFC 316.
The main card is scheduled to open with Abus Magomedov taking on Joe Pyfer. Magomedov has won three straight, most recently scoring a decision over Michel Pereira at UFC Kansas City in April. Pyfer has won two straight and is 5-1 in the Octagon, most recently defeating Kelvin Gastelum by decision at UFC 316.
Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the likes of Patchy Mix, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Macy Chiasson, all of whom are expected to be featured players on the event’s preliminary card.
See below for the UFC 320 lineup, as it stands.
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Magomed Ankalev vs. Alex Pereira
Bantamweight Championship: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen
Light Heavyweight: Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Light Heavyweight: Aleksandar Rakic vs. Azamat Murzakamov
Middleweight: Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer
Preliminary Card (Order TBA):
Middleweight: Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz
Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Muniz
Bantamweight: Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wiklacz
Women’s Flyweight: Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker
Bantamweight: Chris Gutierrez vs. Farid Basharat
Women’s Bantamweight: Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos
Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford
Note: There will be no September UFC PPV. Noche UFC 3 on September 13 will be a UFC Fight Night event, which will serve as a lead-in for the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing card. Alvarez-Crawford will be the first major fight promoted by TKO Boxing, which includes UFC CEO & President Dana White.
The UFC 320 lineup is starting to fall into place.
On Thursday, the promotion announced that Patchy Mix will make his return at UFC 320, where he’s set to welcome reigning KSW bantamweight champion Jakub Wikłacz for his Octagon debut.
Mix made his promotional debut at UFC 316 in June, but the night didn’t go his way as he suffered a lopsided unanimous decision loss to rising contender Mario Bautista. Before that setback, “No Love” was riding a seven-fight winning streak in Bellator, where he reigned as bantamweight champion.
The 31-year-old American boasts a professional record of 20-2, with 13 of those victories coming by submission.
Meanwhile, Wikłacz last competed at KSW 95 in June 2024, where he successfully defended his bantamweight crown with a second-round submission of Sebastian Przybysz. “Masa” is riding a seven-fight unbeaten streak and carries a professional record of 16-3-2, with 10 of those victories coming via submission.
Image: @jakub_wiklacz/Instagram
What Does The UFC 320 Fight Card Look Like So Far?
UFC 320 is set for October 4, 2025, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, headlined by a stacked title doubleheader. In the main event, reigning light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev defends his belt in a rematch against former titleholder Alex Pereira, while the co-main features bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili making his third title defense of the year against Cory Sandhagen.
Adding more firepower to the main card, former 205-pound champion Jiri Prochazka faces dangerous striker Khalil Rountree Jr., while the lineup is strengthened by three intriguing middleweight clashes: Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer, Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz, and Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Muniz.
Here’s the confirmed lineup for UFC 320:
Magomed Ankalaev (c) vs. Alex Pereira; light heavyweight title
Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs. Cory Sandhagen; bantamweight title
Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree; light heavyweight
Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wikłacz; bantamweight
Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer; middleweight
Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz; middleweight
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Muniz; middleweight
Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker; women’s flyweight
Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos; women’s bantanweight
Chris Gutierrez vs. Farid Basharat; bantanweight
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford; welterweight
While there will be no UFC pay-per-view in September, the UFC is loading up the card for what will hopefully be a memorable night of action in Las Vegas on October 4 with UFC 320.
UFC CEO and President Dana White took to Instagram Live on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 22, to confirm the leading bouts for the card.
The main event will be a UFC light heavyweight championship rematch between defending champion Magomed Ankalaev and former champion Alex Pereira. The two clashed for the championship back at UFC 313 in March, with Ankalaev pulling off the upset and claiming the gold.
Ankalaev has not lost a fight in MMA since dropping his UFC debut. Ankalaev has won three straight, knocking out Johnny Walker and scoring a decision over Aleksandar Rakic before the win over Pereira.
Pereira had won five straight before losing to Ankalaev. After defeating Jiri Prochazka for the then-vacant gold at UFC 295, Pereira defended the light heavyweight title three times in 2024, scoring finishes over Jamahal Hill, Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr.
Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 To Be Led In By Dvalishvili vs. Sandhagen & Prochazka vs. Rountree
The UFC 320 co-main event will see the bantamweight title on the line as Merab Dvalishvili defends against No. 3 contender Cory Sandhagen.
Dvalishvili claimed the title at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306 with a win over Sean O’Malley. He has since retained the title against both Umar Nurmagomedov and O’Malley in 2025. Sandhagen has won four of five since falling short in a 2021 interim title fight with Petr Yan, capped off by a finish of former flyweight champ Deivesion Figueiredo in May.
The previously mentioned Prochazka and Rountree Jr will also be featured at UFC 320, as they will take on one another. Both men come into this fight off wins over the aforementioned Jamahal Hill this year, with Prochazka finishing Hill at UFC 311 in January and Rountree sweeping the cards against Hill in the main event of UFC Baku last month.
The third annual Noche UFC event to be held this September will be having a change of location from its original plans.
Per an announcement on the UFC Vegas 107 broadcast, the event will now be taking place on September 13 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas — instead of its originally planned location of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Furthermore, rather than a planned pay-per-view event with UFC 320, Noche UFC 3 will now be a Fight Night card — akin to the original.
The 3rd annual #NocheUFC will now take place at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on September 13.
The Noche UFC Fight Night card will celebrate and honor the remarkable contributions of Mexican fighters to combat sports and continues UFC’s great tradition of holding an… pic.twitter.com/uhlP9WgMSL
Been on the story about the Arena GDL delays literally since the day the UFC announced the event in Mexico City. Been saying for weeks that the Mexican roster is not strong enough for Noche UFC to be a PPV and would be better as a Fight Night. This is a good excuse to do it. https://t.co/zA1ncLv7h2
— Rodrigo Del Campo González (@RodDelCampo) May 31, 2025
Rumors had called for a potential move to Las Vegas, given the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford bout targeted for that same weekend in the city.
What the future is of a planned UFC 320 event is currently unknown.
The first Noche UFC event was a Fight Night card held in 2023, featuring Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko battling to a draw in their second women’s flyweight title fight.
The third Noche UFC event, UFC 306, was held at The Sphere in Las Vegas and featured Merab Dvalishvili capturing the UFC bantamweight title from Sean O’Malley in the main event and Shevchenko regaining the women’s flyweight title from Grasso in their trilogy co-main event.
