UFC 322: A High-Impact Event at Madison Square Garden
From Washington D.C., where the UFC is planning an event next summer, CEO Dana White announced the three fights that will culminate at UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden in New York on November 15. This event will feature the participation of five current and former champions.
The strawweight champion, Zhang Weili, will vacate her belt to move up to women’s flyweight and challenge the reigning champion, Valentina Shevchenko, in the co-main event. In addition, Islam Makhachev, ranked number 2 pound-for-pound, will seek the welterweight title against champion Jack Della Maddalena.
To complete the fight card, former welterweight champion Leon Edwards will face Carlos Prates.
This impressive billboard, does it live up to the expectations generated by Madison Square Garden, or does the absence of a main fight still generate disappointment?
Is this fight card better than Jones vs. Aspinall?
No. This fight card is incredible, but Jones vs. Aspinall would have been one of the greatest fights in UFC history. Neither of these fights comes close to that level.
Jones’ decision to retire is disappointing. Although it was a smart decision, the way it was prolonged generated discontent. The UFC has managed to put together a quality card for UFC 322, but the global excitement doesn’t compare to what Jones vs. Aspinall would have been.
Is it beneficial for MMA that champions must vacate their belts to move up a weight class?
In these situations, interim titles are not necessarily a problem. If Makhachev were to keep his lightweight title while pursuing the welterweight title, it would be appropriate. The creation of an interim belt allows the UFC to schedule important fights and pay challengers. If a division stagnates, fighters don’t get championship pay, but an interim title solves that.
Also, if Makhachev loses, he could return to his division and fight the interim champion in a unification fight. The UFC should allow a champion to move up a weight class, and only if he wins a second belt should he decide which division to continue in.Alexander Volkanovski, in the background, lost his attempt to become a two-division champion in consecutive defeats to Islam Makhachev, who is now seeking to win a second belt.Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Are Zhang and Makhachev favored over Shevchenko and Della Maddalena?
Yes. Shevchenko, although she is one of the best in the history of women’s MMA, is 37 years old and has shown less dominance in recent years. Zhang, although she is 36 years old, seems to have less physical wear and tear. Shevchenko will have difficulty finding a specific weakness in Zhang.Zhang Weili, the strawweight champion since November 2022, will vacate her belt to compete for the women’s flyweight title at UFC 322.If you compare the fighters’ resumes in the main event, Makhachev is the favorite. Makhachev, who has traditionally fought at 155 pounds, will not be significantly smaller than Della Maddalena, and his world-class grappling helps offset any size disadvantage. However, it’s a 50-50 fight.
