UFC 322: Two Super Fights Headline the Event in New York
The mixed martial arts (MMA) company is preparing an annual pay-per-view (PPV) event in New York with two high-caliber main events.
Former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will seek a second title against current welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, scheduled for November 15 at Madison Square Garden, according to UFC CEO Dana White.
In the co-main event, former strawweight champion Zhang Weili will move up to the flyweight division to face Valentina Shevchenko.
Makhachev, with a record of 27-1, vacated the 155-pound title earlier this year to compete at welterweight. Zhang, with a record of 26-3, relinquished her 115-pound championship to compete at 125 pounds.
Makhachev defended his lightweight title four times before announcing his move up to welterweight. He will attempt to achieve what his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, never did: become a champion in two divisions.
Della Maddalena (18-2), from Perth, Australia, hasn’t suffered defeats since the first two of his professional career in 2016. He won the UFC title after defeating Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision in May.
Zhang comes from defending her title against Tatiana Suarez in February. Shevchenko, 37, is one of the most dominant figures in UFC flyweight history, with two championships and eight title defenses in two reigns.
White also announced a welterweight fight on the main card between former champion Leon Edwards (22-5) and the promising Brazilian contender Carlos Prates (22-7).
