UFC looks to add to its storied list of iconic November nights in New York City on Saturday, when UFC 322 hits Madison Square Garden for one of its most loaded cards of the year. Headlined by two title fights, Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev and Weili Zhang vs. Valentina Shevchenko, the card carries championship weight and historic potential from top to bottom.
Since New York lifted its decades-long MMA ban in 2016, the Garden has quickly become one of the UFC’s most celebrated backdrops. UFC 322 marks the ninth event to take over the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” and it’s one of the most consequential ones to date.
Makhachev chases history in MSG
At the top of the bill, Russia’s Islam Makhachev moves up in weight to challenge Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title.
Makhachev is ranked No. 2 pound-for-pound in the world and is already one of the most dominant champions of his era at lightweight. Makhachev has moved up to 170 lbs with a chance to become a two-division champion.
He’s also chasing UFC history, riding a 15-fight win streak, one shy of Anderson Silva’s all-time record of 16. A win in New York ties it. Della Maddalena, meanwhile, is making his first defense of the belt since winning the welterweight title in May.
Makhachev is from Dagestan, a Russian republic that has produced wave after wave of elite fighters, and this next step would solidify his case among the best of his generation. If he wins, it also sets up a potential crossover fight with Ilia Topuria, the current ranked No.1 pound-for-pound fighter, opening the door to a run at the first triple-division champ in UFC history, which could be the biggest fight of the decade. This main event has the potential to set the stage for the sport’s future.
Zhang and Shevchenko clash for women’s supremacy
The women’s flyweight championship bout holds just as much weight. A faceoff between the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked pound-for-pound women’s fighters in the world, Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili, will battle for the possession of the flyweight belt.
Zhang moved up from 115 lbs to 125 lbs to fight Shevchenko, vacating her strawweight championship for her own shot at becoming a two-division champ, a title only Amanda Nunes has held before in the history of the UFC. For Shevchenko, it’s a chance to reassert her throne and remind the division why she’s long been considered one of the most technically gifted fighters in the sport.
Welterweight stakes and breakout potential
Beyond the title bouts, UFC 322’s undercard is loaded with division-shaping matchups. In the welterweight mix, Sean Brady faces the undefeated Michael Morales, a matchup that could decide who earns the next title shot.
Brady, ranked No. 2 in the division, hasn’t lost since 2022 and brings a suffocating ground game that frustrates elite opponents. Morales, sitting at No. 8, is one of the sport’s brightest prospects: fast, creative, and still unbeaten. The winner could easily be positioned for a title eliminator in early 2026.
Also in the division, former champion Leon Edwards looks to bounce back after two straight losses when he faces rising Brazilian contender Carlos Prates, a member of the “Fighting Nerds” camp known for wild, highlight-heavy performances. Prates enters MSG riding the momentum of a viral spinning-elbow knockout on Geoff Neal that made him one of the UFC’s most talked-about new names.
Veterans vs. climbers in the lightweight division
In the first main-card bout, veteran Beneil Dariush takes on France’s Benoît Saint Denis in a crucial lightweight matchup. Dariush, currently ranked No. 9, is seeking to keep his name in the title conversation, while Saint Denis (#13) has been making a name for himself with an aggressive pace and slick submissions, most recently tapping out Mauricio Ruffy in dominant fashion.
Both fighters are only a couple of wins away from a possible title shot, making this bout one of the night’s most quietly significant showdowns.
How to watch UFC 322
- Early Prelims: 6 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass
- Prelims: 8 p.m. on ESPNNews
- Main Card: 10 p.m. on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View
- Tickets: As of today, the lowest prices are roughly $735–$790 on major marketplaces, with sections at or just under the 300 level still available. Prices are moving as fight week hits.
