Fighters Only : UFC 323 Main Card Preview

Paul Browne

Dec 04, 2025

The final UFC pay-per-view event of 2025 (and maybe ever?) takes place this Saturday night, as two of the sport’s most dominant champions look to create their own pieces of history at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena.

Merab Dvalishvili (21-4 MMA, 14-2 UFC) continues to defy logic during his reign atop the bantamweight division and is set to square off against former bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan (19-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the headline bout. The co-feature sees Alexandre Pantoja (30-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) take on rising star Joshua Van (15-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) as he looks to maintain his dominance over the 125-pound division.

Let’s break down the main card action taking place at UFC 323 this weekend.

Main Event: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan (UFC Bantamweight Championship)

Merab Dvalishvili’s name already appears throughout the UFC record books, but the Georgian standout could etch himself even deeper into history if he defeats Petr Yan in this weekend’s main event.

With a win on Saturday, “The Machine” would tie T.J. Dillashaw’s divisional record for most championship fight wins (five) and set a new mark for the most title defenses in a single calendar year. He’ll also look to extend his already impressive record for most takedowns in UFC history (117), while a 15th consecutive victory would put him just one behind the fighter with the longest active winning streak in the promotion, Islam Makhachev.

For Yan, Saturday likely represents his final opportunity to recapture championship gold. His three-fight win streak over the past 18 months has been impressive (albeit against fighters outside the title picture) but if “No Mercy” loses to Dvalishvili for the second time this weekend, it could effectively end his title aspirations.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van (UFC Flyweight Championship)

An equally dominant champion will be aiming to further his legacy in Saturday’s co-main event. Alexandre Pantoja has effectively cleaned out the flyweight division since becoming champion in 2023 and, like Dvalishvili, could extend several of his own records with another win this weekend.

Holding the most wins (14), most stoppage wins (8), and most submission wins (6) in UFC flyweight history, “The Cannibal” can rightfully claim to be one of the most dominant champions of all time. With the Brazilian seemingly focused on continuing his reign at 125 pounds rather than chasing double-champ status, his drive and will to win appear to show no signs of slowing.

For Van, this weekend’s bout represents something of a free hit. As impressive and exciting as his short UFC tenure has been, his recent victory over Brandon Royval at UFC 317 in June remains his only test against true championship-level opposition to date.

That said, “The Fearless” clearly possesses the type of power not often seen at 125 pounds and will be riding a wave of confidence heading into this fight.

Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira (Flyweight)

A title opportunity could await the winner of the bout between former two-time champion Brandon Moreno (23-8-2 MMA, 11-4-2 UFC) and Tatsuro Taira (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC). Moreno has bounced back well since losing his belt to Pantoja in 2023, and recent wins over Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg have thrust the Mexican star right back into the mix.

Former Shooto champion Taira has enjoyed an exciting start to his UFC career, and if the Japanese standout adds the name of a former UFC titleholder to his résumé this weekend, he’ll surely place himself among the title contenders at 125 pounds.

Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott (Bantamweight)

The fat lady is clearing her throat yet again as far as Henry Cejudo’s career is concerned. “Triple C” (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is set to walk off into the sunset for the second time after this weekend’s matchup against Payton Talbott (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC). After going 0-3 since his 2023 return to the UFC, Cejudo will be hoping to go out on a high note.

Much like Tatsuro Taira, Talbott has the opportunity to add a former UFC champion’s name to his list of conquests, and he may never get a better chance than this weekend, as he faces a fighter on a major losing skid with one foot already out the door.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov (Light Heavyweight)

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz (29-11-1 MMA, 12-8-1 UFC) is another man deep in the midst of a long and difficult hunt for an elusive victory. The Polish standout hasn’t had his hand raised since 2022, and with just one win in his last five outings, he faces a tough test when he meets Bogdan Guskov (18-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in Saturday’s main card opener.

Guskov enters the bout riding a four-fight winning streak, with all four wins coming by stoppage, and he’ll be hoping that a victory over the veteran this weekend will catapult him into the top ten at 205 pounds.

PRELIMINARY CARD