UFC 323 struggle card predictions: Knowledgeable picks for Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan 2

The ultimate two UFC title defenses of 2025 are set to go down on Saturday at UFC 323 in Las Vegas. In the principle occasion, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will look to select up his fourth win of the 12 months when he faces former champion Petr Yan in a rematch.

If Dvalishvili can defeat Yan, he would set the document for probably the most consecutive bantamweight title defenses at 4 and turn into the primary champion to defend a title 4 instances in a calendar 12 months. Yan is a harmful opponent, with sharp boxing and powerful takedown protection, however sits as a +330 underdog.

A second title struggle helps UFC 323. Alexandre Pantoja is constructing a robust case for being the second-best flyweight champion in UFC historical past, behind solely Mount Rushmore fighter Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. His subsequent challenger is compelling. Joshua Van burst onto the scene, going from UFC debutant to title challenger in two years. Like Dvalishvili, he fights for the fourth time this 12 months in pursuit of changing into a UFC champion.

There’s loads extra to look at on this occasion in Vegas. A adorned fight athlete is about for his last stroll to the Octagon when former two-division champion Henry Cejudo takes on rising prospect Payton Talbott. Cejudo informed CBS Sports activities this week that he is prepared for a brand new problem after beforehand retiring from the game in 2020. The 38-year-old additionally gained Olympic gold in wrestling on the 2008 Beijing Video games. Plus, former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno appears to be like to carry on to his spot within the rankings when he takes on rising contender Tatsuro Taira. Moreno has misplaced twice as a professional to Pantoja, however may get again within the title image if he and Van win on Saturday.

With a lot occurring on Saturday night time, let’s look nearer on the full struggle card with the most recent odds earlier than we get to our employees predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities which you could contemplate earlier than hitting the sportsbooks.

UFC 323 struggle card, odds

Odds by way of DraftKings Sportsbook

• Merab Dvalishvili -425 (c) vs. Petr Yan +330, bantamweight title
• Alexandre Pantoja -238 (c) vs. Joshua Van +195, flyweight title
• Tatsuro Taira -122 vs. Brandon Moreno +102, flyweights
• Payton Talbott -278 vs. Henry Cejudo +225, bantamweights
• Jan Blachowicz -135 vs. Bogdan Guskov +114, gentle heavyweights
• Grant Dawson -218 vs. Manuel Torres +180, lightweights
• Chris Duncan -166 vs. Terrance McKinney +140, lightweights
• Maycee Barber -180 vs. Karine Silva +150, ladies’s flyweights
• Fares Ziam -135 vs. Nazim Sadykhov +114, lightweights
• Marvin Vettori -115 vs. Bruno Ferreira -105, middleweights
• Jalin Turner -298 vs. Edson Barboza +240, lightweights
• Iwo Baraniewski -192 vs. Ibo Aslan +160, gentle heavyweights
• Mansur Abdul-Malik -1150 vs. Antonio Trocoli +650, middleweights
• Mairon Santos -258 vs. Muhammad Naimov +210, featherweights

UFC 323 predictions, picks

With such a large major 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 Sensible.

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan predictions

Campbell: Dying, taxes and Dvalishvili by choice. That has been the fact for the bantamweight division all through many of the final seven years as Dvalishvili has run off 14 consecutive wins. Whereas the well-rounded Yan was compromised of their first assembly in 2023 resulting from an injured hand, so was Dvalishvili, who has a historical past of persevering by bodily setbacks. The recharged Yan may need the facility and takedown protection to supply resistance (and this being Dvalishvili’s fourth struggle of 2025 must be acknowledged) however till one other 135-pound fighter can show he can go 25 minutes with Dvalishvili and never be overwhelmed by the amount of strikes and infinite takedown makes an attempt with a view to drain their fuel tank, it is not time to select towards the champion. 

Brookhouse: Dvalishvili is a ache to cope with; that a lot is apparent. However he is additionally so good at what he does that there is not any actual approach to gameplan towards him. Yan stuffed a ton of Dvalishvili takedowns of their first struggle, however he nonetheless bought blown out on the scorecards. The place the thriller lies is in whether or not Dvalishvili will likely be compromised by a fourth camp and weight lower on this calendar 12 months. If Dvalishvili is available in as his regular self, it looks as if it may take a house run shot from Yan that stops Dvalishvili instantly to get the victory. How has that labored for anybody not too long ago towards the champ?

Mahjouri: Recency bias is a messy factor. Alex Pereira’s revelation that he was compromised in his first struggle towards Magomed Ankalaev, and his subsequent return to type within the rematch, has led some to place an excessive amount of inventory in Petr Yan’s damage claims. Yan not too long ago claimed he fought Dvalishvili with an injured hand the primary time. Nonetheless, folks neglect that Dvalishvili additionally allegedly had a hand damage. The purpose is: fighters not often compete at 100%. Accidents are price factoring, however we should firstly observe the information. The info exhibits that Dvalishvili is the superior fighter. Dvalishvili overwhelmed Yan the primary time, and he is solely enhancing. A second win over Yan signifies that Dvalishvili can have defeated the highest 4 bantamweight contenders in lower than a 12 months. In contrast, whereas Yan has definitely regained momentum on his three-fight win streak, not one of the folks he beat are on par with the three UFC champions — Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley, and Dvalishvili — that he misplaced to. It is nice to see Yan discover his groove, however he is right here largely in order that Dvalishvili could make historical past as the primary champion to make 4 profitable defenses in a single 12 months.

Who wins UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2, and the way precisely does the struggle finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks and evaluation from the incomparable skilled who’s up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and discover out.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van predictions

Campbell: At 24, Van represents an unbelievable story as he seeks to turn into the second-youngest champion in UFC historical past. However what Van would not but learn about going through an elite and skilled fighter such because the pound-for-pound ranked Pantoja is just too a lot to beat at such a younger age. Search for Pantoja to combine the specter of the takedown together with his technical placing to navigate some furry two-way exchanges early earlier than settling in and utilizing Van’s aggressiveness towards him. A late-round submission is not out of the query for the completed flyweight king as he defends his title for the fifth time. 

Brookhouse: Van might be a future champion. Pantoja would not appear to be the form of champion Van is able to beat but on this second. Pantoja is simply so artful, so slick and so dominant that Van has by no means confronted something like him earlier than. Van can also be preventing for a fourth time this 12 months, so the identical questions that utilized to Dvalishvili apply to him. Van hasn’t proven a confirmed skill to complete fights at this degree, whereas Pantoja is an absolute monster the second he senses an opponent is on the ropes, or has made a mistake that leaves them open. If Van can win a spherical or two and make it to the scorecards, it could be an enormous win for the 24-year-old, however I worry we’re caught in search of ethical victories for Van and little extra.

Mahjouri: Saturday’s co-main occasion has many thrilling contrasts: expertise vs. youth, grappling vs. placing, and underappreciated excellence vs. the recent new factor. Pantoja is a beast who’s quietly put collectively a flyweight resume second solely to Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. He has probably the most general wins, finishes, and submissions, and the second-most title struggle wins in flyweight historical past. The champ pairs an in-your-face brawling fashion with nice wrestling and even higher again management. His rear-naked choke is especially lethal, and he is by no means been completed in 35 skilled fights. If there’s somebody who can crack that legendary chin, particularly with Pantoja at 35, it is the challenger. Van is arguably the very best pure striker within the division who’s roared to title rivalry with 5 wins in beneath 12 months. His takedown protection may use work, however he is terrific at attending to his toes shortly. This struggle comes right down to whose robust defensive sport crumbles first: Pantoja’s chin or Van’s skill to get off the mat. Pantoja’s tempo is one other essential issue, contemplating Van has by no means fought for greater than quarter-hour. There is a robust case to be made for both fighter, however Pantoja’s tempo and expertise ought to get him a choice win or late submission.

Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira predictions

Campbell: In a struggle which may go a great distance in producing the subsequent 125-pound title challenger, do not depend out how a lot the 31-year-old Moreno, a former two-time flyweight champion, nonetheless has left within the tank. Over his final six fights, Moreno’s solely defeats have come by disputed break up choice and he rebounded properly to supply back-to-back wins over Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg. The 25-year-old Taira is thrilling however nonetheless far too reckless for the boxing of Moreno, who has leaned right into a extra technical method in recent times and will have sufficient to maintain himself firmly entrenched within the title image.

Brookhouse: Moreno could have had a small skid in dropping break up choices to Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval back-to-back, however the two wins that adopted proved Moreno remains to be a handful for anybody within the flyweight division. Taira is a enjoyable and thrilling fighter and has the pop in his strikes, so this isn’t a straightforward struggle for Moreno, however I do consider that confirmed high-level expertise is at all times an element to take into accounts. Moreno is 31, which is not younger within the lightest division, however he is not exhibiting indicators of his finest days being behind him. The way in which Moreno can navigate tough conditions towards even the very best fighters on this planet is a particular trait. Taira would possibly be capable to explode his approach to a victory, however I am using with the confirmed veteran on this one.

Mahjouri: Moreno is about to make himself an simple contender after consecutive break up choice losses to Pantoja and Brandon Royval. The previous two-time flyweight champ has accomplished this by turning away every rising younger star put in entrance of him. Taira is one other in that new wave of flyweights attempting to exchange the previous guard. Moreno is so well-rounded, mixing elusive placing with a dogged wrestling sport. Taira may be very offensively oriented, leaving main gaps in his placing and takedown protection. Moreno, who has by no means been stopped in 33 professional fights, ought to feast on that for quarter-hour.