Fight fans have been waiting for a card like UFC 322. The 14-bout event is headlined by a pair of champion vs. champion matchups and boasts a deep undercard chock full of rising contenders.
Former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will look to add another title to his trophy case when he faces reigning welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena, and longtime strawweight titleholder Zhang Weili is set to challenge Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight belt.
Makhachev and Zhang both vacated their respective titles earlier this year to pursue another championship belt in a heavier weight class.
Saturday’s stacked card also features two key matchups in the 170-pound division as former champion Leon Edwards looks to snap his recent losing streak against dangerous knockout artist Carlos Prates and grappling wizard Sean Brady meets striking sensation Michael Morales.
Rising contenders Erin Blanchfield, Tracy Cortez, Bo Nickal, Baisangur Susurkaev, Malcolm Wellmaker, Fatima Kline and Gregory Rodrigues are among the talent slated to compete on the preliminary card.
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Watch UFC 322 on Sportsnet+
Jack Della Maddalena defends the welterweight title against Islam Makhachev and women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko faces Zhang Weili. Watch UFC 322 on Saturday, Nov. 15, with prelim coverage beginning 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, and pay-per-view main card starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
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Projected bout order for UFC 322 (subject to change), plus full predictions below:
— Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
— Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili
— Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
— Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
— Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint Denis
— Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira
— Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues
— Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez
— Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Ethyn Ewing
— Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert
— Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal
— Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline
— Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico
— Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Matheus Camilo
Ahead of each UFC event in 2025, UFC reporter Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter), producer Dan Fernandes (@DanFernandes__) and writer/editor Mike Johnston (@MikeyJ_MMA) will peruse the odds and make four betting predictions using fantasy dollars: one best bet, one favourite, one underdog and one dart throw wager. REMINDER: Sportsnet is committed to promoting and educating audiences about the importance of betting responsibly. Sources for responsible gambling can be found HERE.
Cage Lock: Blanchfield vs. Cortez goes the distance -400
Favourite: Sean Brady -133
Underdog: Leon Edwards +170
Dart Throw: Rodrigues by submission +425
I expect Blanchfield and Cortez is something of a chess match and I would be surprised if either was able to find a finish over three rounds. … While I truly believe that Michael Morales has a bright future, Brady should be too much, too soon and if Morales is able to get past Brady he should fight for the championship next year. … Prates is a much better stylistic matchup than Edwards has had in quite a while. I would not be surprised if his fight IQ enables him to win a decision in a tactical striking battle. … The best path to victory for Rodrigues is to get Kopylov to the ground and if he follows that script, a submission is most certainly on the table.
Cage Lock: Baisangur Susurkaev -900
Favourite: Bo Nickal -225
Underdog: Zhang Weili +110
Dart Throw: Gerald Meerschaert by submission +750
There appears to be no stopping Susrkaev in 2025. It’s been incredible to watch his meteoric rise and while he probably finishes McConico inside the distance, an outright win is the safest pick on the card. … It was interesting listening to Nickal speak during fight week about how he learns from defeat. I think he makes a statement at MSG and goes back to being the rising prospect with unlimited potential. Rodolfo Vieira’s jiu-jitsu should be easily negated by Bo’s skillset. … I like Zhang’s chances in a five-round fight with Shevchenko. I would say the same if Valentina was the underdog. This fight likely goes the distance and Zhang’s cardio may give her the edge down the stretch. … Yes, Meerschaert hasn’t won in a while but the man is a submission magician. He has come through on this dart throw for me twice in the past. Here’s hoping lighting strikes thrice.
Cage Lock: Fatima Kline -500
Favourite: Valentina Shevchenko -133
Underdog: Jack Della Maddalena +240
Dart Throw: Point to be deducted in Edwards vs. Prates +2000
I envision Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev at times resembling Makhachev’s first fight with Alexander Volkanovski (that classic five-rounder in early 2023) and his 2024 fight with Dustin Poirier and when you consider the fact Della Maddalena is a bigger, stronger athlete than both Volkanovski and Poirier, unless Makhachev can land takedowns at will and locks up a first- or second-round submission, JDM will have advantages whenever they’re at striking distance. … There are a lot of longshot dart throws I think have a decent chance on this card (lots of value on JDM, Shevchenko, Zhang, Dariush all by split or majority decision. Even Sean Brady by second-round submission stick out to me as well) but let’s get wild with it and call for a point deduction. Would it be crazy for eye pokes or even low blows to come into play in the Edwards vs. Prates bout? I see that being a possibility in this one and we know officials are making a concerted effort to crack down on fouls. … It’d be a surprise if Shevchenko vs. Zhang ended up being anything besides a highly skilled and technical bout that likely goes into the championship rounds. … Although Angela Hill is a savvy veteran and never an easy out, Kline is one of the better young fighters on the women’s roster coming off a couple solid stoppage wins and should get her hand raised in her home state of New York.
Three legs: Blanchfield vs. Cortez goes distance + Susurkaev + Kline
Parlay odds: -150 (to win: $66.66)
2025 STANDINGS AFTER 38 EVENTS
2025 winnings: +$421.12 (on $100 bets)
AARON’S RECORDS/TOTALS (78-71-3, +21.02 units)
Cage Lock: 30-6-2 (+$31.21)
Favourite: 21-17 (-$533.51)
Underdog: 18-19-1 (+$1,055.24)
Dart throw: 9-29 (+$1,550)
DAN’S RECORDS/TOTALS (80-67-5, -5.45 units)
Cage Lock: 33-5 (+$159.65)
Favourite: 24-13-1 (-$230.01)
Underdog: 20-17-1 (+$915.24)
Dart throw: 3-32-3 (-$1,390)
MIKE’S RECORDS/TOTALS (60-86-6, -34.22 units)
Cage Lock: 26-11-1 (-$256.87)
Favourite: 19-19 (-$570.70)
Underdog: 14-22-2 (+$340)
Dart throw: 1-34-3 (-$2,935)
Cage Lock: The pick deemed to be the wager most likely to win regardless of what the odds look like. The Cage Locks parlay will combine Aaron’s, Dan’s and Mike’s respective best bet for each event.
Favourite: A fighter with winning odds shorter than -300 but not longer than -110. On chalkier cards with a dearth of available moneyline favourites that meet those criteria, prop bets are allowed to be selected.
Underdog: Any fighter with longer odds than their opponent’s.
Dart Throw: Any prop bet or moneyline wager with odds of +400 or longer.
(Betting odds above are via BetMGM, submitted at various times throughout week, and subject to change prior to the fights)
