UFC 323 Dvalishvili vs Yan 2: Preview, fight card, start time, where to watch & more
(Courtesy : UFC)
Blockbuster card coming up this weekend with UFC 323.
UFC returns to Las Vegas for the final time this year with an event that has all the makings of a blockbuster. UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 touches down at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night, delivering a fourteen-fight lineup that many fans and insiders are already calling the most complete card of 2025.
After a year packed with standout performances and dramatic title shifts, the promotion is closing the calendar with a show that feels purpose-built to raise the stakes one more time.
At the top of the bill sits a high-pressure rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan, a title fight that promises a relentless pace and championship consequences. The co-main event adds further intrigue, as flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja defends his belt against fast-rising prospect Joshua Van.
Beyond the twin title fights, the main card is loaded with compelling narratives. Former champions Brandon Moreno, Henry Cejudo, and Jan Blachowicz all step back into the spotlight, each paired against hungry contenders eager to break through. The prelims carry equal weight, featuring divisional movers, must-watch prospects, and stylistic clashes built for fireworks.
With championship gold, superstar returns, and breakout opportunities sprinkled across the card, UFC 323 is primed to end the year with a definitive statement.
UFC 323 Dvalishvili vs Yan 2: Main card
- Merab Dvalishvili (c) vs Petr Yan – Bantamweight title bout
- Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs Joshua Van – Flyweight title bout
- Brandon Moreno vs Tatsuro Taira
- Henry Cejudo vs Payton Talbott
- Jan Blachowicz vs Bogdan Guskov
UFC 323 Dvalishvili vs Yan 2: Preliminary card
- Grant Dawson vs Manuel Torres
- Terrance McKinney vs Chris Duncan
- Maycee Barber vs Karine Silva
- Nazim Sadykhov vs Fares Ziam
UFC 323 Dvalishvili vs Yan 2: Early Preliminary card
- Marvin Vettori vs Brunno Ferreira
- Edson Barboza vs Jalin Turner
- Iwo Baraniewski vs Ibo Aslan
- Mansur Abdul-Malik vs Antonio Trocoli
- Muhammad Naimov vs Mairon Santos Alves
Merab Dvalishvili vs Petr Yan – Bantamweight title bout
Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili enters Saturday’s main event with history in his sights, aiming to become the first UFC titleholder to record four successful defenses in a single year. “The Machine” has lived up to his nickname throughout 2025, blending relentless pressure with an unmatched work rate that has defined his championship reign.
Just two months removed from turning back Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320, his 14th straight victory, Dvalishvili wasted no time returning to camp, insisting he wanted to stay active and let momentum do the work for him.
Standing across the Octagon is former champion Petr Yan, who has quietly rebuilt his résumé with three consecutive wins, most recently a composed unanimous decision over Marcus McGhee in Abu Dhabi. Even after a turbulent stretch, Yan remains one of the division’s most well-rounded technicians and carries the confidence of a fighter who believes his best form has returned.
This matchup is also a revisit of their 2023 main event, where Dvalishvili swept the scorecards during his climb toward the title. Yan has long maintained that injuries limited him that night, setting the stage for a compelling second act.
But while Yan seeks redemption, Dvalishvili has only sharpened his tools further, pushing his pace, grappling chains, and cardio to new levels. With history on the line and a dangerous ex-champion in front of him, this title fight promises to close the year with high stakes and even higher intensity.
Alexandre Pantoja vs Joshua Van – Flyweight title bout
Alexandre Pantoja continues his end-of-year tradition as he steps into another December title defense, this time against fast-rising contender Joshua Van.
For the third straight winter, the flyweight champion headlines a Las Vegas showcase, and he does so riding immense momentum. Pantoja’s run in 2025 has only strengthened his case as one of the greatest 125-pound fighters ever, with his dominant submission over Kai Kara-France at UFC 317 marking his fourth successful defense and extending his winning streak to eight.
Van, meanwhile, represents the future of the division. Since debuting in June 2023, the 24-year-old has rapidly climbed the ladder with an 8-1 UFC record and five straight victories.
His breakthrough year included stoppages of Rei Tsuruya and Bruno Silva, followed by a gritty win over Brandon Royval on a short turnaround, securing his place as the No. 1 contender. His blend of speed, boxing fluidity, and developing grappling makes him one of the most intriguing challengers Pantoja has faced during his championship reign.
This matchup offers a classic narrative clash: the red-hot, seasoned champion versus a youthful phenom eager to seize the spotlight. Van’s athleticism and pace could trouble anyone at 125, yet Pantoja’s experience, pressure, and finishing instincts remain an unmatched combination.
Whether this becomes a true test for “The Cannibal” or another emphatic reminder of his dominance, the flyweight title fight promises high-level chaos and technical brilliance from the opening horn.
Brandon Moreno vs Tatsuro Taira
As Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van battle for flyweight gold in the co-main event, the division’s immediate future could be shaped earlier in the night when former champion Brandon Moreno meets surging phenom Tatsuro Taira in a high-stakes contender clash.
For Moreno, this fight represents another chance to regain momentum in a division he once ruled, and to remind the field that his championship ceiling hasn’t faded. The Mexican star has spent nearly four years trading blows exclusively with elite competition, sharpening his all-around game while enduring one of the toughest schedules in the sport.
Across from him stands Taira, the Japanese prodigy whose composure and finishing instincts have made him one of the division’s fastest-rising threats.
Still just in his early twenties, Taira has blended slick grappling with increasing striking confidence, showcasing the kind of developmental curve that hints at long-term title potential. His ability to neutralize opponents on the mat, control positions, and hunt submissions has made every appearance feel like a step toward inevitability.
Stylistically, the matchup offers a compelling contrast: Moreno’s pressure, cardio, and scrambling ability against Taira’s patience, precision, and technical mastery on the ground. If Taira can slow the fight down and dictate grappling exchanges, he may announce himself as the next great flyweight.
If Moreno turns it into chaos, his experience and pace could overwhelm the rising star. Either way, this matchup feels like a crossroads moment, for one fighter’s resurgence and another’s ascent.
Henry Cejudo vs Payton Talbott
Henry Cejudo makes his final walk to the Octagon at UFC 323, closing the book on one of the most accomplished careers in combat sports history.
The former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist takes on rising contender Payton Talbott in a matchup that feels equal parts legacy test and opportunity showcase.
After stepping away from the sport in 2020 following a successful title defense against Dominick Cruz, Cejudo returned three years later but was unable to recapture his old magic, dropping decisions to Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili, and Song Yadong, the latter ending prematurely after an accidental eye poke left him unable to continue.
Now, with no more title hopes, “Triple C” competes with the freedom of knowing this truly is his last dance inside the octagon.
For Talbott, this is a chance to end the year with a career-defining victory. The talented Reno native stumbled in his first big step up in competition at UFC 311 but rebounded with composure and grit during International Fight Week, dominating the final round against fellow prospect Felipe Lima to reassert his potential.
His youth, pace, and length present real challenges for Cejudo, who must rely on his championship IQ and elite wrestling one more time.
What makes this matchup compelling is the unpredictability on both sides. Cejudo may fight with abandon, knowing the outcome won’t alter his legacy, or he could adopt a careful, tactical approach to avoid being immortalized on Talbott’s highlight reel.
Conversely, Talbott enters with everything to gain: a win over a legend, a potential ranking, and validation that he belongs among the division’s rising threats. It’s a classic crossroads fight, one that could either deliver an iconic sendoff for Cejudo or signal the arrival of the UFC’s next breakout bantamweight.
Jan Blachowicz vs Bogdan Guskov
The UFC 323 main card opens with a compelling light heavyweight clash, as former champion Jan Blachowicz looks to halt his downward slide against surging finisher Bogdan Guskov. For Blachowicz, this bout represents both urgency and opportunity.
The Polish standout is making his second appearance of 2025 after sitting out the entirety of 2024 due to shoulder surgery, and the results since his return have not been kind. He’s riding a two-fight winless streak and hasn’t posted a clean victory since his injury-induced stoppage of Aleksandar Rakic.
With a 1-3-1 record in his last five outings dating back to his title-defense win over Israel Adesanya in 2021, the former champion finds himself in unfamiliar territory, fighting to remain relevant in a rapidly shifting landscape at 205 pounds.
Guskov, meanwhile, arrives in Las Vegas with the wind at his back and momentum on his side. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan has delivered four straight stoppage wins since dropping his short-notice UFC debut, showcasing sharp power and an aggressive finishing instinct that has quickly turned heads within the division.
His first-round knockout of Nikita Krylov in his most recent outing pushed his overall record to 18-3 and established him as one of the more dangerous climbers in the weight class.
This matchup poses a classic question: experience and championship pedigree versus youth, power, and momentum. Blachowicz will look to tap into the “Legendary Polish Power” that once made him one of the division’s most feared fighters, but he’ll need to do so against a hungry contender eager to claim a signature win.
Guskov has the tools to make a statement, yet beating a former champion is never an easy task. Whether Blachowicz steadies the ship or Guskov surges one step closer to title contention will be one of the storylines to kick off UFC 323.
Date, Time and Venue
| Information | Details |
| Event Name | UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 |
| Date | Saturday, December 6, 2025 (Sunday, December 7 in UK/India/Australia) |
| Location | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Venue | T-Mobile Arena |
| Capacity | Approximately 20,000 |
| Early Prelims Start Time (US) | 6:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM PT |
| Prelims Start Time (US) | 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT |
| Main Card Start Time (US) | 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT |
| Main Event Cage Walks (US) | Approx. 11:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM PT |
| Early Prelims Start Time (India) | 4:30 AM IST (Sunday, December 7) |
| Prelims Start Time (India) | 6:30 AM IST (Sunday, December 7) |
| Main Card Start Time (India) | 8:30 AM IST (Sunday, December 7) |
| Main Event Cage Walks (India) | Approx. 10:00 AM IST (Sunday, December 7) |
| Early Prelims Start Time (UK) | 11:00 PM GMT (Saturday, December 6) |
| Prelims Start Time (UK) | 1:00 AM GMT (Sunday, December 7) |
| Main Card Start Time (UK) | 3:00 AM GMT (Sunday, December 7) |
| Main Event Cage Walks (UK) | Approx. 4:30 AM GMT (Sunday, December 7) |
| Where to Watch (US) | ESPN+ / Disney+ / FX |
| Where to Watch (UK & Europe) | TNT Sports / UFC Fight Pass |
| Where to Watch (India) | Sony Sports Network / Sony LIV / UFC Fight Pass |
| Where to Watch (Australia) | Main Event PPV / Kayo Sports / UFC Fight Pass |
What time does UFC 323 start?
UFC 323 takes place on Saturday, December 6, 2025, with early prelims at 6 PM ET, prelims at 8 PM ET, and the main card at 10 PM ET. Fans in the UK will see the main card begin at 3 AM GMT on Sunday, while India will watch the action from 8:30 AM IST.
Where is UFC 323 being held?
The event will be hosted at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, marking the promotion’s fourth and final Vegas stop of the year. The venue seats roughly 20,000 fans and has become a staple location for major UFC PPV cards.
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