The UFC is ready to kick subsequent 12 months off with a bang.
The primary numbered occasion of 2025, UFC 311, will likely be headlined by a light-weight title struggle between champion Islam Makhachev and high contender Arman Tsarukyan in what will likely be a rematch of their first conflict in April 2019 in what was Tsarukyan’s debut bout with the organisation, which got here at quick discover.
Since that struggle, 155-pound champion Makhachev has received 9 straight fights as a part of a run which noticed him declare the UFC’s light-weight title which he has now efficiently defended on three events.
Tsarukyan, by comparability, has emerged as one of many light-weight body’s most full fighters, posting a 9-1 document in wins over the likes of Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. His sole defeat throughout that spell got here in a unanimous choice loss to Polish grappler Mateusz Gamrot.
Elsewhere, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili can be set for a title defence after it was confirmed that the Georgian will put his 135-pound title on the road in opposition to the unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov, who is an ideal 6-0 (18-0 total) within the UFC since his maiden bout with the organisation again in early 2021.
“Merab got here into the workplace late final night time, instructed us he’s uninterested in listening to Umar disrespect him, and wished to make this struggle occur as quickly as attainable,” Dana White instructed the media in Las Vegas, per MMA Fighting. “We known as Umar, he was sleeping in Dagestan and he stated ‘hell sure, anyplace, anytime.”
A number of different excessive profile fights are additionally reportedly near completion for the UFC 311 occasion too, with former mild heavyweight champions Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill set to fulfill within the Octagon, whereas Brazilian’s 205-pounder Johnny Walker fights the 16-3 Uzbek Bogdan Guskov.
UFC 311 takes place on January 18 on the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
