The UFC has confirmed the addition of an necessary bantamweight bout between Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista to the UFC 321 card, scheduled for October 25, 2025, on the Etihad Enviornment in Abu Dhabi.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista
The matchup options two fighters at totally different levels of their profession trajectories, with important title implications at stake. Nurmagomedov, ranked second within the bantamweight division, holds an 18-1 document and shall be making his first look since his title battle loss to champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311 in January. The choice defeat marked the primary skilled lack of his profession, ending his six-fight successful streak within the UFC.
Bautista enters the bout with appreciable momentum, carrying an eight-fight successful streak and a present rating of eighth within the division. The 32-year-old American most just lately defeated former Bellator champion Patchy Combine by unanimous determination at UFC 316 in June. His earlier victory got here towards former UFC featherweight champion José Aldo at UFC 307 in October 2024, although the break up determination win generated controversy because of his heavy reliance on cage management with out touchdown takedowns.
Nurmagomedov’s defeat to Dvalishvili was aggressive, with the battle scored 48-47, and lots of observers felt he was main till the ultimate moments of the fifth spherical. A victory over Bautista might place him for an additional title alternative, significantly if present champion Dvalishvili’s upcoming protection towards Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 produces a special champion.
For Bautista, the battle presents the largest alternative of his profession to interrupt into title rivalry. Regardless of his successful streak, he has confronted criticism for his efficiency towards Aldo, the place he managed the battle via clinch work however didn’t land any of his ten takedown makes an attempt. His document exhibits versatility, with six submission victories and three knockout wins amongst his sixteen skilled victories.
UFC 321 takes place on the 18,000-capacity Etihad Enviornment on Yas Island, marking the promotion’s twenty second go to to Abu Dhabi. The occasion shall be headlined by the heavyweight championship bout between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, with a vacant girls’s strawweight title battle between Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern serving because the co-main occasion.
The bantamweight division stays aggressive following Dvalishvili’s latest profitable title protection towards Sean O’Malley at UFC 316. With Dvalishvili set to face Sandhagen subsequent, the winner of Nurmagomedov vs. Bautista will doubtless place themselves for the following title alternative, making this one of the important non-title bantamweight fights of 2025.
