5 Burning Questions for UFC 322
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UFC 322 is shaping up to be one of the most stacked cards of the year, headlined by Islam Makhachev’s bold move up to welterweight to challenge Jack Della Maddalena for double-champ status.
Add in a historic women’s superfight between Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili, plus crucial contender bouts across multiple divisions, and Madison Square Garden once again finds itself hosting a pivotal night in MMA.
Ahead of this blockbuster event, we dive into five burning questions surrounding UFC 322:
#1. Should Islam have moved up to 170 with top contenders like Gaethje, Holloway, Pimblett, and Topuria still waiting at 155?
Lee: This is a hard question to answer but I’m going to go the unpopular route. No, he should not have been given an immediate shot at that title. What did he prove at 155 as the champ? Nothing really! He won the title impressively against Charles Oliveira. But, then he defended it against a featherweight twice, Dustin Poirier and non-deserving Renato Moicano.
There were still big fights at 155 for him. The UFC should have made him earn it by fighting a top 5 welterweight first. As if that wasn’t bad enough, all of sudden he has interest in fighting Ilia Topuria now when he could have done that at 155.
Evan: I’m actually in complete agreement with Lee here. I don’t think Makhachev should’ve been given this opportunity either. I definitely understand why it’s happening though. At 34, Islam likely felt time was running out to chase a second title; and as he’s gotten older, the cut to 155 may have simply become too difficult.
I also can get his perspective of not wanting to fight Ilia Topuria, as he defended his lightweight title twice against another featherweight champion in Alexander Volkanovski. However, Makhachev never faced or defended his belt against any of the aforementioned list above. The timing of him leaving the lightweight division as all these new contenders emerged, just seemed sort of rushed and frankly odd.
#2. As a +225 underdog, is the public overlooking Jack Della Maddalena’s chances to upset Islam Makhachev?
Lee: The public isn’t sleeping too hard on JDM, they just believe in Islam more. Yes, JDM has the skills to make this a tough fight for the challenger for sure. The Islam hype has grown over the years, and he has backed it up every time he has stepped into the Octagon. I think until somebody beats him; he will go into most, if not all, of his fights as the favorite.
If JDM can use his size and strength early in the fight, I think Islam will be in for a long night. If I were a betting man, I would put some money on JDM. That’s how much I believe he can make this a fight and possibly pull off the upset.
Evan: So I actually feel different on this one. I believe the public and Islam himself are massively underestimating the type of challenge JDM will present. Ultimately, there’s a scenario where Makhachev is just an inevitable force and thoroughly dominates Della Maddalena. But I think he’s going to provide much more resistance than many expect.
Having both Alexander Volkanovski and Craig Jones in his corner is something that can’t be overlooked. Both of those guys are well versed in how to neutralize the Nurmagomedov-Dagastani grappling style. Between that and the real leveling up we saw from him in his win over Belal Muhammad, it feels not enough people are taking JDM’s chances to pull off the upset here serious enough.
#3. Between the two best P4P women on the planet, whose legacy gains more with a win — Valentina or Weili?
Lee: Quick bit of revisionist history: I thought Rose Namajunas would be in this spot a few years ago, not Zhang Weili. This is still an important fight for Valentina. But, her legacy is already set, and with Weili moving up in weight, Valentina has a slight advantage.
For Zhang, this fight means more as she looks to become a two-division champion, something only Amanda Nunes has done. Weili keeps evolving as a complete fighter, while Valentina, though still elite, is nearing the end of her career as Weili enters her prime.
Evan: I think both of these ladies’ respective legacies are honestly solidified, no matter the outcome of this fight. I’m on the same page as Lee though, it’s Zhang Weili who will be more elevated with a victory. She would join Amanda Nunes as the only women’s double champion in UFC history.
Defeating a fellow all-time great in Shevchenko to accomplish that feat, would put her in rare company. Whereas a win for Valentina is undoubtedly a boost to her illustrious résumé. But it wouldn’t put her individual legacy really any higher than it already is from my viewpoint.
#4. Which fight is most likely to produce the next welterweight title contender — Brady-Morales, Edwards-Prates, or Belal-Garry?
Lee: The answer is Muhammad-Garry. Belal Muhammad is stepping back into the Octagon with something to prove after losing his welterweight title to JDM. Ian Machado Garry, who’s been riding a wave of success and has been calling his shot while climbing his way to the top. This is the most important fight in the welterweight division in my opinion. It’s so important to both guys.
Evan: The right choice is probably Muhammad-Garry. I believe the promotion is desperate to put Ian specifically into a title fight. On the other hand though, I’m not sure Belal would be someone they would award another championship opportunity so quickly. Mainly due to the entertainment value of his overall fighting style and how much of the fan base seems to be sour toward Muhammad’s personality.
I’m not saying that’s fair either, but that’s what the perception feels like. For me, the pick is Brady-Morales. If Sean goes in there and mauls Michael, he’s got the best case to make for a title shot given the quality of his wins.
Meanwhile, if the 26 year old Ecuadorian finishes and defeats the Philly standout, his argument is equally as enticing. A young, undefeated contender who is a KO artist and has international appeal, is a tailor made fighter for the UFC to get behind.
#5. What other matchups or fights on the card are you most excited for and deserve more attention?
Lee: This card is stacked. But, we shouldn’t be surprised since the UFC always puts on a great show at MSG. I am very interested in the Erin Blanchfield-Tracy Cortez scrap. Both are top 10 fighters in the flyweight division and are looking to get a future title shot.
Blanchfield and Cortez went to battle back in 2019 at Invicta, with Cortez winning via split decision. They’re better fighters now than they were back then and both are winning in different ways.
Erin’s submission game has been on display in her recent wins, and Tracy has been a little more technical, winning decisions and controlling fights. Both have fought elite competition, and the winner will stay in the title conversation.
Evan: While we shouldn’t be surprised that this card is stacked because of the promotion’s history with MSG events, their recent track record proves otherwise. There has been an immense dip in the consistency of the quality of Apex or PPV cards from the UFC now, that’s not debatable. Regardless, there’s so much to choose from here that it’s a bit difficult to pinpoint one fight that deserves more attention.
Pat Sabatini-Chepe Mariscal is a fun matchup between two quality featherweights looking to break into the top 15 of that crowded division. Angela Hill-Fatima Kine is a big fight to help shuffle out the contendership ladder in the now wide open strawweight division. Both Baisangur Susurkaev and Malcolm Wellmaker are two exciting prospects the promotion is clearly excited about.
Plus, Bo Nickal is in a must win spot after he was audited by RDR in his last outing. He takes on grappling legend Rodolfo Vieira. Lastly, Gregory Rodrigues-Roman Kopylov should be absolute bonkers for however long it lasts. All of these fights deserve your time come Saturday night.
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