The ultimate UFC pay-per-view of 2025 has its headliners.
On Monday, UFC CEO Dana White introduced bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvilli (21-4) goes for a record-breaking fourth-title protection of the 12 months when he rematches Petr Yan (19-5) in the primary occasion of UFC 323 at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas on Dec. 6.
No UFC fighter has ever efficiently defended a title 4 occasions in a calendar 12 months.
The UFC 323 co-main occasion was additionally introduced, with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (30-5) set to defend his title towards Joshua Van (15-2). That is Pantoja’s fifth straight protection of his 125-pound championship.
That information was really damaged by Van’s teammate Michael Aswell, who campaigned to be on the identical card as his teammate throughout a post-fight interview at UFC Rio on Saturday following Aswell’s first-round end of Lucas Almeida.
Dvalishvili—at present No. 3 on the MMA Combating Pound-For-Pound listing—has gained 14 straight fights since beginning his UFC profession 0-2. He defeated Cory Sandhagen in October to document his third title protection following wins towards Sean O’Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov earlier this 12 months.
Of their first struggle in March 2023, Dvalishvili defeated Yan by way of unanimous choice. That loss put Yan on a three-fight skid, however he has since rebounded with three consecutive victories and each fighters have spoken publicly about eager to run it again.
Pantoja has already efficiently defended his belt as soon as this 12 months, defeating Kai Kara-France by third-round submission at UFC 317 in June. His different victories as champion have come towards Kai Asakura, Steve Erceg, and Brandon Royval. Amongst UFC champions, Pantoja at present has the longest lively protection streakclose behind at three.
This is a gigantic alternative for Van, who simply turned 24 in October and has solely been competing as professional since 2021. Van emerged as a high prospect ending seven of his first eight opponents earlier than signing with the UFC in 2023. He has gained 5 straight fights, together with a pivotal win over Royval in a Combat of the Yr candidate at UFC 317, and his UFC document stands at 8-1.
Along with the 2 title fights, former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo returns to motion towards rising star Payton Talbott in an intriguing matchup at 135 kilos. Additionally on the cardboard, former UFC mild heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz appears to be like to bounce again when he faces Bogdan Guskov on the ultimate pay-per-view occasion in 2025.
The Dec. 6 occasion additionally marks the top of UFC’s seven-year broadcast partnership ESPN, with the promotion transferring on to a brand new seven-year take care of Paramount in 2026.
