Islam Makhachev def. Jack Della Maddalena via Unanimous Decision (50-45 x3)
A suffocating, methodical masterclass — Islam Makhachev dominated Jack Della Maddalena from start to finish to win the welterweight title in emphatic fashion.
Across five rounds, Makhachev imposed the kind of control that only he can deliver, shutting down the Australian’s explosive boxing and piling up nearly 20 minutes of ground control. Della Maddalena showed heart, toughness, and solid scrambling instincts, but he simply couldn’t keep the new champion off him long enough to mount any meaningful momentum.
Round 1 — 10-9 Makhachev
Makhachev opened with measured leg kicks before Della Maddalena burst forward with a sharp punching combination. The challenger attempted a front kick up the middle, then settled into his rhythm with straight shots. Just over a minute in, Makhachev secured a clean single-leg takedown, landing in half guard. Della Maddalena scrambled well but couldn’t rise to his feet before Makhachev took his back with both hooks. Forced back to the mat, the champion tried to recompose guard and landed an illegal upkick in the closing seconds, earning a warning.
Round 2 — 10-9 Makhachev (20-18)
The leg kicks continued to pay dividends for Makhachev as he chipped away at Della Maddalena’s base. The champion landed a heavy right hand, but Makhachev immediately clinched and dragged him to the canvas. After countering a throw attempt, the challenger settled back into half guard — voluntarily — to increase control and punish with elbows. He briefly threatened an arm triangle before pouring on more ground and pound. Della Maddalena worked to his feet late, but it was another clear round for Islam.
Round 3 — 10-9 Makhachev (30-27)
Della Maddalena tried to reset and use more lateral movement, but Makhachev continued battering his lead leg. A looping right hand found the mark for the Aussie, followed by a tidy body–head combination — his best flurry of the fight. It didn’t change the trajectory. Makhachev shot instantly afterwards and completed another effortless double-leg takedown, returning to his preferred half-guard control and smothering the champion until the horn.
Round 4 — 10-9 Makhachev (40-36)
Della Maddalena attempted to build urgency, but the pattern persisted. Makhachev closed the distance, clinched, and dragged him back to the mat. The challenger passed between guards with ease, hunting submissions without overcommitting, and constantly applying pressure. Della Maddalena had few answers beyond survival.
Round 5 — 10-9 Makhachev (50-45)
With his corner pleading for volume, Della Maddalena tried to let his hands go — but Makhachev immediately put him back on the mat. The champion cycled between straight armlock and kimura attempts, forcing defensive reactions and re-establishing half guard whenever the challenger tried to recover position. Makhachev ended the bout with over 18 minutes of control time, completely dictating the fight from bell to bell.
A Champion in Total Command
This was Makhachev at his most dominant: patient, precise, and utterly controlling. Della Maddalena showed grit, but he was never allowed into the fight. The Dagestani’s wrestling, positional awareness, and relentless top pressure once again proved levels above the division.
A flawless title win — and further evidence that Islam Makhachev is one of the most complete fighters in MMA history.
Valentina Shevchenko def. Zhang Weili via Unanimous Decision (50-45 x3)
Dominant, composed, and ruthlessly efficient — Valentina Shevchenko reminded the world exactly why she remains one of the greatest champions in UFC history.
Over five rounds, Shevchenko neutralised Zhang Weili’s aggression, dictated every key exchange, and controlled the fight everywhere it went. Zhang came in looking to bully the champion with pressure and pace, but Shevchenko’s timing, precision, and physical strength proved insurmountable.
Round 1
Zhang opened with leg kicks, but Shevchenko’s sharp jab and excellent read on the blitzes set the tone early. When Zhang rushed forward, Shevchenko bounced off the fence and landed a perfectly timed knee to the body, sending the challenger to the mat. After Zhang stood, Shevchenko intercepted another forward charge with a flush spinning back elbow, then secured another takedown into side control. A clear round for the champion.
10-9 Shevchenko
Round 2
With Zhang’s corner warning her to calm the aggression, Shevchenko began to widen the gap. A clean counter one–two and punishing knees in the clinch forced Zhang backwards. The champ secured another body-lock takedown and hunted a crucifix position, landing elbows and short punches throughout. Zhang defended bravely but couldn’t get Shevchenko off her.
10-9 Shevchenko
Round 3
Zhang tried again to take the centre but struggled to close distance. Shevchenko’s intercepting right hand snapped her head back, and although Zhang managed to land some tight elbows in the clinch, Shevchenko answered with heavy body kicks. Another late takedown sealed the frame.
10-9 Shevchenko
Round 4
Shevchenko marched forward with confidence, landing clean jabs, body kicks, and elbows in the clinch. Zhang fired back with a right hook, but Shevchenko’s counters were sharper and heavier. A final takedown in the round left Zhang stuck on her back once again.
10-9 Shevchenko
Round 5
Zhang’s corner asked for a miracle, but Shevchenko shut the door completely. Zhang swung wildly, only to be smothered and slowed. Another body-lock takedown — Shevchenko’s fifth of six attempts — cemented her dominance. The champion controlled the final minutes, landing elbows and riding out the win.
10-9 Shevchenko
Shevchenko swept every round on every card, asserting her physicality, precision striking, and elite top control throughout all 25 minutes. Zhang showed heart, pressure, and flashes of success — but Shevchenko was simply a step ahead in every phase.
A vintage, flawless performance.
Michael Morales def. Sean Brady via TKO (Punches) — Round 1
Michael Morales delivered a blistering first-round finish over Sean Brady, capping off one of the finest performances of his career and reinforcing his status as one of the welterweight division’s most dangerous rising contenders.
The fight began with Brady attempting to establish himself through leg kicks, but Morales immediately showed sharp defensive awareness, sliding effortlessly in and out of range behind a busy jab. Brady struggled to find his way inside as Morales controlled the distance, picking his moments and forcing Brady to overextend.
Morales then shifted gears. He cracked Brady with a clean shot that visibly rocked him, sending the American into survival mode. Brady attempted to clinch and slow the pace, but Morales remained composed, refusing to let the momentum slip. Even when Brady managed a brief counter left hook, Morales walked through it as if it were nothing.
Moments later, Morales stunned Brady again, this time more emphatically. A powerful overhand right followed by a sharp left uppercut dropped Brady flat to the canvas. Morales sealed the deal with a series of hammer fists, forcing the referee to step in.
A sensational showing — poised, precise, and punishing. Morales continues to prove he’s not just a prospect, but a genuine problem for the entire welterweight division.
Carlos Prates def. Leon Edwards via KO (Punch) — Round 2
Carlos Prates produced the biggest win of his career UFC 322 with a stunning one-punch knockout of former welterweight champion Leon Edwards — handing “Rocky” the first KO loss of his 15-year, nearly 30-fight career.
Round 1 opened with both fighters trading leg kicks before Edwards pressed Prates to the fence, the pair exchanging words as much as strikes in the clinch. Edwards secured a takedown and briefly hopped onto Prates’ back, peppering him with short punches while hunting for a rear-naked choke as the round closed. It was a composed, veteran start from Edwards, who likely banked the opening frame.
But Round 2 flipped the script entirely. Prates came out with renewed aggression, landing multiple kicks and snapping Edwards’ head back with sharp jabs and combinations. The Brazilian ramped up the pace and the trash talk, forcing Edwards into more reactive exchanges. After eating a heavy knee to the body, Prates surged forward and detonated a huge looping left hand — a heat-seeker that landed flush and sent Edwards crashing to the canvas.
Just like that, Prates added another knockout to his rapidly growing highlight reel. With 18 stoppages in 23 wins, and now six UFC knockouts since 2024 — more than any fighter in that span — the charismatic Brazilian continues to build his reputation as one of the deadliest finishers in the sport.
Benoît Saint Denis def. Beneil Dariush via KO (0:16 R1)
The main-card opener at UFC 322 ended before most fans had even settled into their seats. Saint Denis marched straight to the centre of the Octagon, while Dariush briefly disrupted his balance with a clever low attack. The moment they tied up in the clinch, though, the danger was obvious — trading in close quarters with the Frenchman is a risky proposition.
Saint Denis uncorked a thudding left hook that sent Dariush crashing forward onto his face, prompting an immediate stoppage. The fight was over in just 16 seconds, one of the swiftest finishes of Saint Denis’ career.
Afterwards, Saint Denis wasted no time in calling for a BMF title clash with Max Holloway.
Bo Nickal def. Rodolfo Vieira via KO (Head Kick) — Round 3
Bo Nickal delivered the most spectacular performance of his career at UFC 322, dispatching elite grappler Rodolfo Vieira with a devastating head-kick knockout in the third round after two frames of dominance.
Round 1 saw a measured start as both men tested their range, but once Nickal closed the distance, the momentum shifted firmly in his favour. He lifted Vieira clean off his feet and dropped him to a knee before unloading a barrage of right hands that had the Brazilian visibly shaken. A sharp elbow opened a cut near Vieira’s eye, and although he briefly managed to create space, Nickal snuffed out a takedown attempt and threatened with a guillotine before finishing the round on top, landing punishing elbows. It was a one-sided opening frame — the sort a generous judge might even consider 10-8.
In Round 2, Nickal showcased how far his striking has evolved. He mixed crisp boxing combinations with heavy body kicks, repeatedly beating Vieira to the punch and shrugging off every takedown attempt with ease. A thunderous right hook staggered Vieira late in the round, leaving him bloodied but still hanging on.
By the third, the writing was on the wall — and Nickal sealed it emphatically. After setting the rhythm with more varied offence, he unleashed a wicked head kick that connected flush, instantly switching Vieira’s lights off and sending the crowd into uproar. It was the cleanest, most devastating knockout of Nickal’s young career.
Now 8–1 as a professional, Nickal rebounds impressively from his first career setback to Reinier de Ridder and continues to justify the enormous expectations placed on him since his transition from three-time NCAA Division I champion to elite mixed martial artist.
Prelims Results
- Gregory Rodrigues def. Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Erin Blanchfield def. Tracy Cortez via second-round submission (rear naked choke)
- Ethyn Ewing def. Malcolm Wellmaker via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Kyle Daukaus def. Gerald Meerschaert via first-round submission (d’arce choke)
- Pat Sabatini def. Chepe Mariscal via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Fatima Kline def. Angela Hill via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Baisangur Susurkaev def. Eric McConico via third-round knockout (punches)
- Matheus Camilo def. Viacheslav Borshchev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Featured image: (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
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