MMA
Dana White Unveils Blockbuster Main and Co-Main Events for UFC 323
UFC’s year-end schedule was already stacked with UFC 322 set for Madison Square Garden in November. But Dana White just made things even bigger, announcing several blockbuster fights for December’s UFC 323 as the final pay-per-view event of the year. Headlining the card, reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will put his title on the line for the fourth time in 2025 when he faces former champ Petr Yan.
The co-main event promises just as much excitement, with Alexandre Pantoja defending his flyweight crown against rising contender Joshua Van. In addition to these two title fights, White also confirmed several other high-profile matchups featuring names like Henry Cejudo and Jan Blachowicz, making this one of the most loaded year-end cards in UFC history.
Merab Dvalishvili Set to Defend Bantamweight Title for the Fourth Time at UFC 323
As he has been doing in recent times, UFC CEO Dana White took to Instagram Live earlier this evening to drop some major fight announcements. Among them was a huge main event for December, featuring Merab Dvalishvili, who continues his relentless pace inside the Octagon.
After defending his title against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320, the Georgian powerhouse is already set for another quick turnaround. Now, Dvalishvili will meet familiar foe Petr Yan in a rematch headlining UFC 323 on December 6th at the T-Mobile Arena.
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For context, ‘The Machine’ has already defended his belt twice this year– first against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January, and then against Sean O’Malley in a high-stakes rematch at UFC 316. The bout gives the champion a chance to extend his incredible UFC win streak to 15 straight and potentially set a record for the most title defenses in a calendar year at four.
February 17, 2024, Anaheim, California, USA: MERAB DVALISHVILI 16-4 of Tbilisi, Georgia defeats HENRY CEJUDO 16-3 of Los Angeles, California by unanimous decision 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 during UFC 298 at the Honda Center, Anaheim, California Anaheim USA – ZUMAo117 20240217_zsp_o117_036 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
Dvalishvili and Yan first clashed in 2023, with the Georgian dominating in a one-sided performance. Since then, however, ‘No Mercy’ has found new life, racking up three consecutive wins over Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo, and Marcus McGhee.
With both men in top form, UFC 323 will determine whether Dvalishvili can cement himself as the greatest bantamweight of all time or if Yan can reclaim his throne.
Alexandre Pantoja Aims for Fifth Straight 125lbs Title Defense at UFC 323
Along with the blockbuster main event between Dvalishvili and Yan, the UFC head honcho also revealed an exciting co-main event and several high-profile matchups for UFC 323. Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will put his title on the line against rising star Joshua Van in what promises to be a fast-paced, action-packed showdown.
The announcement came just days after Van’s teammate, Michael Aswell, seemingly let the news slip at UFC Rio, hinting that Van was already booked for the card. For Pantoja, this bout marks his fifth title defense as he continues to assert dominance over the 125-pound division.
The Brazilian submission ace most recently extended his winning streak to eight after finishing Kai Kara-France at UFC 317, cementing his status as one of the greatest flyweights in history.
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Meanwhile, Van’s rapid rise has been nothing short of remarkable. The 24-year-old earned his title shot after defeating Brandon Royval in a late-notice Fight of the Year contender at UFC 317, just weeks after beating Bruno Silva at UFC 316.
UFC 317 LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 28:Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara-France fight in the 5-round Flyweight Title Co-Main Event bout during the UFC 317 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Alejandro Salazar/PXImages Las Vegas T-Mobile Arena Nevada USA Copyright: xAlejandroxSalazarx
Since debuting in June 2023, Van has compiled an impressive 8-1 record and enters this title fight on a five-fight winning streak, proving that youth and momentum can be just as dangerous as experience. It will be interesting to see if the Brazilian can continue his momentum of steamrolling through the division, or a young contender will finally get the better of the veteran kingpin.
Henry Cejudo, Jan Blachowicz, and Brandon Moreno Join Stacked UFC 323 Lineup
The rest of the UFC 323 card is equally stacked. Former double champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo returns for his second fight of 2025, taking on surging prospect Payton Talbott. After dropping close decision losses to Merab Dvalishvili and Song Yadong, ‘Triple C’ is determined to prove he still belongs among the elite at 38 years old.
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Talbott, however, represents a new wave of talent eager to make a name by beating a legend. His last outing was also at UFC 317, where he beat Felipe Lima in a decisive bout. Moreover, his ground game has certainly gotten better after suffering his first professional MMA loss at UFC 311 against Raoni Barcelos.
Former flyweight kingpin Brandon Moreno is also officially set to return to action, and his next challenge comes in the form of rising Japanese contender Tatsuro Taira. The two will square off on the main card of UFC 323 in another high-voltage 125lbs bout.
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MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn confirmed the matchup and added even more star power to an already stacked year-end card set to take place in Vegas. Rounding out the main card is a light heavyweight clash between former champion Jan Błachowicz and the dangerous Bogdan Guskov.
The Polish veteran is hunting for his first win since 2022 after setbacks against Alex Pereira and Carlos Ulberg. On the other hand, Guskov arrives with serious momentum and is riding a four-fight knockout streak, including a brutal finish of Nikita Krylov at the recently concluded UFC Abu Dhabi. With gold, redemption, and reputation all on the line, UFC 323 is shaping up to be a spectacular finale to the 2025 fight calendar.
