The UFC brings a pair of super title fights to its annual November pay-per-view outing in New York City this Saturday for UFC 322. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.
The event will be available exclusively on ESPN pay-per-view on Saturday, November 15. The main card will begin at 10pm ET, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6pm ET.
The main event will see the UFC welterweight championship on the line as Jack Della Maddalena defends against former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Della Maddalena has won 18 straight fights since dropping the first two of his professional MMA career. This includes a perfect 8-0 record in the Octagon, which includes wins over Kevin Holland Gilbert Burns. This is JDM's first title defense since defeating Belal Muhammad to capture the gold at UFC 315 in May.
The 27-1 Makhachev spent most of the last approximately three years as UFC lightweight champion, capturing the title with a win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He defended the belt against Alexander Volkanovski twice, Dustin Poirier, and Renato Moicano before vacating the title to move up to 170.
A similar situation can be found in the co-main event of the evening, as Valentina Shevchenko puts up the women's flyweight championship against Weili Zhang in a battle of the UFC's top-two women's pound-for-pound combatants.
Shevchenko is in the midst of her second reign as flyweight champion, reclaiming the gold in a trilogy bout with Alexa Grasso at Noche UFC 2: UFC 306. Shevchenko retained the title against Manon Fiorot at UFC 315. Zhang is a former two-time women's strawweight champion, reclaiming the title with a win over Carla Esparza at UFC 281 and defending it successfully against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.
The rest of the main card will see a welterweight battle featuring Sean Brady and Michael Morales, another welterweight scrap with former champion Leon Edwards facing Carlos Prates, and a lightweight battle that sees Beneil Dariush take on Benoit Saint-Denis.
UFC 322: MMA News Staff Predictions
With UFC 322 just a couple of short days away, Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through 11 cards in 2025.
Thomas Albano (30-21)
Ryan Jarrell (28-23)
Pranav Pandey (27-24)
And now, let's take a look at everyone's picks for UFC 322!
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
Thomas Albano: When Beneil Dariush got re-booked against Renato Moicano at UFC 317, with Moicano coming off the last-minute title shot at the start of the year, I thought that was going to spell the end of Dariush’s time in the top 10 of the lightweight contender rankings. But somehow he was able to pull through and come out on top.
I doubt lightning strikes twice here. Benoit Saint-Denis has proven to be a strong, durable, and scrappy fighter in this weight class. He has looked great even in his losses the past couple of years. BSD is going to have the advantage in terms of both size and striking. Both men have noteworthy grappling abilities, with Dariush holding a particular edge in this regard. If Dariush can’t get BSD to the ground, however, I don’t think he’s able to hold up well against Saint-Denis’ strikes. (Prediction: Saint-Denis)
Ryan Jarrell: I am all the way back in on the BSD hype train after seeing what BSD did in his last fight which was an extremely impressive win over top prospect Mauricio Ruffy. Dariush is a tough well rounded veteran, but at this stage of his career I’m not sure he can hang with Benoit if he is at his best. As long as the ‘God of War’ shows up like he did against Ruffy, I definitely expect him to overwhelm and beat up Dariush over three rounds and he may very well find the finish. (Prediction: Saint-Denis)
Pranav Pandey: Dariush regained his footing after two tough knockout losses by earning a solid decision over Renato Moicano, and he showed he still has high-level skills. But at this stage of his career, I feel like the margins are getting thinner for him, and facing someone like Saint Denis is far from ideal.
"God of War" brings youth, power and a ruthless finishing instinct. Dariush has never been the type to back down or fade, but when I weigh their momentum, I end up leaning toward BSD taking this one. (Prediction: Saint-Denis)
Consensus: 3-0 Saint-Denis
Welterweight: Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
Thomas Albano: I think this is a situation where Leon Edwards has everything to lose and Carlos Prates has everything to gain. Edwards’ two most recent fights – against Sean Brady and Belal Muhammad – have not been his best showings. And now he has to face Prates, who has proven himself to be a dangerous striker – even in his loss to Ian Machado Garry earlier this year. There are two things that can turn this fight in Edwards’ favor. Firstly, if he makes this more of a technical striking matchup than trying to match power for power, Edwards can win this fight. Secondly, if he can spend time on the ground with Prates and bring him to the mat, Edwards can win this fight. Prates and the Fighting Nerds are in need of some major momentum to come back to their side, and if he can defeat Edwards here by managing the power of his strikes well, that will be what is needed. (Prediction: Prates)
Ryan Jarrell: Carlos Prates' stoppage win over Geoff Neal was truly remarkable. It was important for ‘The Nitemare’ to remind the MMA community just how scary he truly is, especially after suffering his first loss inside the octagon to a game Machado Garry. This matchup with Leon will be a strikers delight and could very well steal the show as fight of the night. Leon is very technical and will definitely give Prates some problems early on as the two tussle to find one another’s timing. But to me, the difference will be the violent nature of strikes that Carlos always seems to bring to the table. I could see Prates getting a finish but the more likely outcome is Prates landing the more significant strikes and winning a decision over the former champion. (Prediction: Prates)
Pranav Pandey: Leon Edwards, once riding a remarkable 13-fight unbeaten streak with two title defenses, hasn’t looked like himself lately. In his last two outings, he seemed a step behind, struggling to match the pace and intensity of his opponents. If he hasn’t patched those holes, he could find himself in serious danger here because Prates is the last person you want to give openings to. The Brazilian is a razor-sharp sniper on the feet.
“The Nightmare" has been tearing through opponents with knockouts. Aside from a tight loss to Ian Garry, he has been nearly flawless. For me, UFC 322 feels like his moment to break through in a big way. I honestly see this matchup leaning in Prates’ favour if Edwards shows the same inconsistencies we’ve seen recently. (Prediction: Prates)
Consensus: 3-0 Prates
Welterweight: Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
Thomas Albano: Of all the non-title fights present on this UFC 322 card, this is the one I am struggling with the most. You’ve got two rising names in the weight class who are extremely talented and have some wins over noteworthy names under their belt. This is definitely the fight I have the most uncertainty with and just want to kick back and watch it all happen. Ultimately, Michael Morales is the better, more powerful striker; however, Sean Brady is the better overall performer. This is not a striker vs. grappler battle, but I think it comes to that. If Brady can take Morales’ power and can take him down and neutralize Morales’ offense, the fight is his. But if Brady gets cracked in the same way that Belal Muhammad (of all people) cracked him, that doesn’t spell good news for him. If I had to lean one way, give me Brady to be the one to put the first L in Morales’ career. I will say, however, a win here for Morales, and we might legitimately be looking at someone who can pose a threat to the 170-pound title starting in 2026 or 2027. (Prediction: Brady)
Ryan Jarrell: I am so excited for this matchup. This is your striker versus grappler fight with huge future #1 contender implications on the line. Both of these guys will be around the top of the division for years to come and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see these two match up again down the line. I was extremely impressed with what Sean Brady did in his wins over Edwards, Burns and Gastelum. Brady will have to be incredibly careful on the feet when entering for a takedown because Morales is a sniper. But I do think we will see somewhat of a grappling clinic put on by Brady throughout fifteen minutes. Morales is a live dog here and could easily catch Sean coming in and close the show. But I’m leaning Brady to continue doing what we have seen lately and smother his opponent en route to a clear victory. (Prediction: Brady)
Pranav Pandey: Brady looked so dominant in his last performance that he made Leon Edwards appear completely out of rhythm. His consistency stands out, and it genuinely feels like he’s sharpening his game every time he fights. The only real blemish on his record is the loss to Belal, and even then, I believe he simply got caught on an off night.
Meanwhile, Morales brings serious knockout danger, and he doesn’t need many openings to end a fight. His last two finishes over seasoned veterans Gilbert Burns and Neil Magny were the kind of wins that make you stop and take notice, and he handled both with almost casual ease. If the young Ecuadorian can stay disciplined, keep the distance and avoid being dragged into Brady’s grappling radius, I think he has a very real chance of landing something clean and game-changing. (Prediction: Morales)
Consensus: 2-1 Brady
Women's Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang
Thomas Albano: I have long been dreaming of this fight, and I am so excited that we’re finally get to see it go down – and on a major world stage like MSG, too. These are legitimately the two best women’s fighters in the UFC now, and this is one of the hardest fights on this card to pick. Ultimately, however, I am going to lean toward Valentina Shevchenko. While Shevchenko has had a couple of down performances over the past couple of years, she has been a consistent mainstay in the flyweight division’s title picture since moving there in 2018. And other than Alexa Grasso catching her with a submission, we haven’t seen anyone bring her down. I don’t think any of Weili Zhang’s recent title challengers have brought her the preparation needed for facing a dangerous striker like Shevchenko – who, remember, moved down a weight class when she moved to 125, rather than Zhang, who is moving up. I think we will see an awesome scrap, but I think Shevchenko does enough to retain her title. (Prediction: Shevchenko)
Ryan Jarrell: This is such a tough fight to pick. These are two of the absolute best women’s fighters of all time, so the fans should be in for a real treat. I think it’s safe to say Valentina will have the size and strength advantage. While Weili will have the speed advantage on the feet. To me, Weili has to use her speed and movement to frustrate Valentina on the feet and stuff the takedowns that will most certainly come her way. I think we will see an extremely close fight where Shevchenko steals the 50/50 rounds with a timely takedown and top control. I can see this fight going either way, but I’ll lean Valentina to win a split decision. (Prediction: Shevchenko)
Pranav Pandey: When I look at this matchup, it feels like one of the most intriguing clashes in women’s MMA right now. Their skill sets line up so closely. With Weili moving up a division, I don’t see toughness being an issue at all. She’s as durable and explosive as they come, and I genuinely believe she can push Shevchenko in ways very few have. “Magnum” has a style that mirrors Valentina’s in many ways. Her striking remains her strongest weapon, yet what really stands out to me is how much her grappling has evolved, even at 36.
On the other side, Shevchenko has spent years beating the best of the best and establishing herself as one of the greatest women’s fighters ever. She’s still incredibly composed and well-rounded, and she never fades mentally. But even though she regained her belt and defended it, I feel like that untouchable aura she used to have has softened a bit. She hasn’t looked quite as dominant lately, especially against strong grapplers, where she has shown some vulnerabilities.
If Weili comes in with a smart mix of pressure, level changes and her usual high-paced striking, I think she has a real chance to walk out as a two-division champion. (Prediction: Zhang)
Consensus: 2-1 Shevchenko
Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
Thomas Albano: I was left jaw-dropped by Jack Della Maddalena, as he was able to stop the takedown efforts of Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 and worked his way to a decision win and the UFC welterweight title. It was a win that shook things up a little bit in the UFC; however, I feel that win might all be for naught with him going up against Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev, point blank, is one of the best, if not the best, pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC. Della Maddalena might have been able to stop the takedown efforts seen in Muhammad’s wrestling, but how many times have we been told (and seen) that Dagestani wrestling is a different kind of animal? JDM is a tough dog when it comes to his boxing, but I doubt he’ll be able to have the same kind of takedown defense success against Makhachev. I expect Makhachev to bring this fight to the ground often and control the action en route to a mid-to-late fight finish and earn UFC gold in a second weight class, furthering his legacy. (Prediction: Makhachev)
Ryan Jarrell: I just want to be clear and admit that I am a big JDM fan and I am cheering for him to get this win. Having said that, my head is telling me that Islam will become the 11th fighter in UFC history to win a title in two weight classes. JDM had a great performance against Belal, but he really struggled in previous fights against Basil Hafez, Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns. If JDM had issues against those fighters, then he definitely will against the former 155 champ. I expect the striking and power advantage to lean towards JDM, but Islam does such a masterful job of mixing things up and at the end of the day, his grappling is world class. Because of that, I have to lean towards Islam winning this fight via decision and cementing himself as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Bring on Islam vs Ilia! (Prediction: Makhachev)
Pranav Pandey: This matchup is one of the hardest calls on the entire card. oth guys are elite in what they do, and the dynamics of this fight make it feel genuinely close. Della Maddalena showed in his last outing that he’s got a rock-solid blueprint for shutting down high-level wrestlers. The way he stuffed Belal Muhammad’s attempts and kept his striking sharp and punishing was a statement. His boxing is crisp, his counters are nasty, and once he finds his rhythm, he’s a problem for anyone at 170.
But here is the catch. Makhachev is not your typical grappler. Even moving up to welterweight, I do not think strength will be an issue for him. He has built a career on making elite opponents look helpless once he gets his hands on them. And it is not just the wrestling. His ability to blend striking with constant grappling threats is what makes him such a dangerous fighter. That blend could create serious problems for the Aussie champ.
Still, for this one, I find myself leaning toward Della Maddalena. I think he will be incredibly tough to take down, even tougher to keep down, and confident enough to engage when things get scrambly. Plus, he has a bit of a roadmap in how Alexander Volkanovski approached Makhachev in their first meeting. (Prediction: Della Maddalena)
Consensus: 2-1 Makhachev
That’ll do it for our UFC 322 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!
Also, you can check out the full UFC 322 card below.
Main Card:
- Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
- Women's Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang
- Welterweight: Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
- Welterweight: Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
- Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
Preliminary Card:
- Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira
- Middleweight: Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues
- Women's Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez
- Bantamweight: Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon
Early Preliminary Card:
- Middleweight: Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert
- Featherweight: Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal
- Women's Strawweight: Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline
- Middleweight: Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico
- Lightweight: Viascheslav Borschev vs. Matheus Camilo