Saturday is an opportunity for Islam Makhachev and Zhang Weili to make historical past as each fighters have vacated championships to maneuver up a weight division and problem for a second title within the featured fights of UFC 322.
In the principle occasion, Makhachev will battle welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena. Makhachev received the light-weight championship in 2022 and efficiently defended the title 4 occasions earlier than vacating to maneuver to welterweight. Dealla Maddalena might be making his first protection of the title he received in Might with a choice win over Belal Muhammad.
Weili vacated the ladies’s strawweight title after three defenses in her second reign as champion. Shevchenko is on her personal second reign as champion. She efficiently defended the title seven occasions earlier than a March 2023 upset loss to Alexa Grasso. Shevchenko battled Grasso to a draw earlier than lastly getting a win and regaining the title. She has made one profitable protection since regaining the belt.
There are a lot of different large fights scheduled for Saturday evening, because the UFC has loaded up the cardboard for the promotion’s return to Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis.
UFC 322: Why Islam Makhachev’s early UFC loss set him on the trail to turn into a possible two-division champ
Brian Campbell
With a lot taking place on Saturday evening, let’s look nearer on the full combat card with the newest odds earlier than we get to our employees predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities which you can think about earlier than hitting the sportsbooks.
UFC 322 combat card, odds
Odds through DraftKings Sportsbook
- Islam Makhachev -285 vs. Jack Della Maddalena (c) +230, welterweight title
- Valentina Shevchenko -135 (c) vs. Zhang Weili +115, ladies’s flyweight title
- Sean Brady -130 vs. Michael Morales +110, welterweights
- Carlos Prates -175 vs. Leon Edwards +145, welterweights
- Benoit Saint Denis -180 vs. Beneil Dariush +150, lightweights
- Bo Nickal -205 vs. Rodolfo Vieira +170, middleweights
- Gregory Rodrigues -185 vs. Roman Kopylov +154, middleweights
- Erin Blanchfield -258 vs. Tracy Cortes +210, ladies’s flyweights
- Malcolm Wellmaker -590 vs. Ethyn Ewing +440, featherweights
- Kyle Daukaus -425 vs. Gerald Meerschaert +330, middleweights
- Pat Sabatini -130 vs. Chepe Mariscal +110, featherweights
- Fatima Kline -520 vs. Angela Hill +390, ladies’s strawweights
- Baisangur Susurkaev -1050 vs. Eric McConico +675, middleweights
- Matheus Camilo -162 vs. Viacheslav Borshchev, lightweights
UFC 322 predictions, picks
With such an enormous fundamental occasion on faucet, the crew at CBS Sports activities went forward with predictions and picks for the principle card from Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, Shakiel Mahjouri, Michael Mormile and Brandon Smart.
| Della Maddalena (c) vs. Makhachev | Makhachev | Della Maddalena | Makhachev | Makhachev | Makhachev |
| Shevchenko (c) vs. Weili | Shevchenko | Shevchenko | Shevchenko | Shevchenko | Zhang |
| Brady vs. Morales | Brady | Brady | Brady | Brady | Brady |
| Edwards vs. Prates | Edwards | Edwards | Edwards | Prates | Prates |
| Dariush vs. Saint Denis | Saint Denis | Saint Denis | Saint Denis | Saint Denis | Saint Denis |
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev predictions
Campbell: Della Maddalena has the scale, energy and toughness to not be taken frivolously in Makhachev’s pursuit of historical past as a possible two-division champion. JDM additionally confirmed sufficient enhancements in his takedown protection towards Belal Muhammad that it won’t be as simple as some would possibly assume for Makhachev to drown him within the grappling division. Nonetheless, it is arduous to look previous simply how evenly well-rounded Makhachev’s sport has really turn into and the way a lot of a ending menace (with 18 stoppages in 27 professional wins) he really is, whether or not on the ft or on the bottom. Della Maddalena will certainly make him earn it, however that is nonetheless Makhachev’s combat to lose. And the 10-month layoff that the previous light-weight champion enters with ought to assist him really feel comfy on the new weight class. On the finish of the day, Makhachev’s technical benefits ought to show to be the distinction.
Brookhouse: I am usually responsible of overthinking easy fights, and perhaps that is what I am doing right here. One thing about Della Maddalena’s skillset feels prefer it’s near what a fighter must take care of Makhachev’s sport. On the ft, Makhachev is stable, however Della Maddalena may have the sting. Makhachev will get takedowns within the combat, however Della Maddalena has good scrambling expertise, and coaching with Craig Jones is certain to have taught the champion a couple of methods. Both means, I consider this might be a tough combat for Makhachev as he meets a difficult fighter in a brand new weight class.
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili predictions
Campbell: There is a motive why this combat has been a digital decide ’em from a betting standpoint all through the construct to it. A pair of future Corridor of Famers and adorned champions with fully developed talent units and nary a gap of their respective video games to discuss. Each are additionally as technical as they’re tenacious. However one thing will inevitably have to offer in a matchup this shut on paper and the most important issues separating the 2 fighters appears to favor Shevchenko fully. The previous bantamweight contender is barely greater, has extra big-fight expertise and is a extra refined striker, significantly as a counter puncher. If Shevchenko’s sport is slipping at age 37, her back-to-back current resolution wins over former champion Alexa Grasso and Manon Fiorot over the previous 14 months have not proven it. Whereas Zhang is a little more explosive and will have an edge from the standpoint of five-round cardio ought to this combat be contested at a excessive tempo, Shevchenko has an excessive amount of craft to not discover a technique to maintain her off in a technical thriller.
Mahjouri: Zhang has rounded out her sport excellently, however you will not discover a higher all-around fighter than Shevchenko. The ladies’s flyweight champion can strike and grapple with improbable method and defensive duty. Zhang’s KO energy will most likely carry up in weight, however towards Shevchenko, who hasn’t been KOed in 18 UFC fights, it is arduous to see the previous strawweight queen getting a end. Shevchenko is a tough fighter to beat on the scorecards. The judges love her, they usually’ll greet Shevchenko once more on the end line.
Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales predictions
Brookhouse: From our UFC 322 finest bets: “This combat might come all the way down to wrestling. Brady averages greater than 3.5 takedowns per quarter-hour whereas Morales defends takedowns at successful price of 89%. After all, Morales hasn’t confronted a assassin’s row of nice wrestlers and Brady presents a number of recent exams for the Ecuadorian. Brady is extra battle-tested towards higher opposition, and -135 appears like a superb value on the higher-ranked, extra confirmed fighter.”
Mahjouri: Brady vs. Morales is likely one of the extra compelling fights on the cardboard. Brady is a powerhouse with phenomenal grappling. Morales is a slick knockout artist. What makes the combat curious are their defensive lapses. Brady is a accountable defensive striker, but it surely’s arduous to shake how Muhammad — who has two knockouts in 20 UFC fights — completed Brady on the ft. Morales’ takedown protection is not foolproof, however nobody has managed to maintain him down. A grappler vs. striker combat that might go both means, I will lean with Brady’s expertise over Morales, the latter of whom has but to be examined by an elite prime welterweight.
