Renato Moicano, UFC 311 ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
The UFC’s first PPV occasion of 2025 was a large success by way of the standard of fights. However the UFC 311 card practically fell aside within the lead as much as the massive evening.
Catastrophic wildfires within the space and one half of the primary occasion pulling out sophisticated issues to say the least. Nonetheless, the primary card nonetheless delivered in each approach, with solely the final struggle of the evening between UFC light-weight champion and #10 ranked final second fill in, Renato Moicano leaving one thing to be desired. Regardless of one literal slip, it was a clear victory for Islam Makhachev, sending Renato again to the drafting board in what’s going to seemingly be his solely shot on the light-weight belt. To not point out one of many greatest ‘losers’ of this struggle card, Arman Tsarukyan. Who won’t be granted an automated shot on the title once more. Some pivotal losses happened on Saturday’s card on the Intuit Dome, that means the subsequent struggle booked for the dropping will likely be further vital.
Arman Tsarukyan
Arman Tsarukyan fumbled one of many greatest alternatives of his profession because of an premature again damage simply hours previous to Friday’s weigh-ins. Tsarukyan can be sidelined from his excessive stakes rematch with probably devastating penalties to his struggle profession.UFC President Dana White made it clear within the post-fight press convention that Tsarukyan won’t be subsequent in line for a title shot.
It’s crucial that Arman get an excellent end in his subsequent struggle. It’ll seemingly be a tricky opponent and he’ll want a end of some variety to be booked for a title shot as soon as once more. Tsarukyan headed into UFC 311 struggle week because the #1 ranked UFC light-weight.
For his subsequent bout, Tsarukyan ought to draw a matchup towards the Justin Gaethje vs. Dan Hooker struggle winner on March 8 at UFC 313. That struggle might probably be a battle so if Arman needed to get again within the cage earlier than that, he might look in the direction of a man like Max Holloway who’s ranked at #5 as a light-weight. However the winner of #3 ranked Gaethje versus #6 ranked Hooker can be the right striking-first kind of opponent to match Arman up towards.
Tsarukyan’s subsequent struggle: Justin Gathje vs. Dan Hooker winner
Renato Moicano
Renato Moicano was taken down and submitted within the first spherical of his quick discover title shot in the primary occasion on Saturday. UFC light-weight champion, Islam Mackhachev, made quick work of Cash Moicano, in what the Brazilian reluctantly admitted after the bout was seemingly his solely probability on the light-weight belt.
Renato entered the title bout with a #10 rating and was initially presupposed to tackle #9 ranked Beneil Dariush. The 35-year-old former featherweight had received 4 in a row with three stoppages main as much as the struggle. Realistically this was a freebee for Moicano and his inventory will seemingly stay just about unblemished. The Renato vs. Beneil struggle must be rebooked as Dariush has not fought since December of 2023. Moicano didn’t appear to take an excessive amount of harm so that might probably be on the desk sooner slightly than later.
Moicano’s subsequent struggle: Beneil Dariush
Umar Nurmagomedov
Umar Nurmagomedov suffered the primary defeat of his skilled profession on Saturday right away basic reverse of UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Although the 29-year outdated misplaced a unanimous resolution, it was a aggressive excessive degree showcase that got here right down to the final minute of the struggle. Umar entered the bout ranked at #2 within the UFC’s bantamweight division. With Merab’s latest dominating victories over former champions Petr Yan and most just lately, Sean O’Malley, Umar has a robust case for a rematch. Umar’s final victory was #4 Cory Sandhagen so the one fighter that will have an actual declare for a shot on the belt can be #5 former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.
Half two of Merab vs. Umar might be very fascinating, particularly seeing what recreation plan Umar, Khabib and firm can give you to counteract the cardio machine that’s Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili.
Nurmagomedov’s subsequent struggle: Merab Dvalishvili
Jamahal Hill
Jamahal Hill was stopped late within the ultimate spherical of a struggle that had followers on the sting of their seats at UFC 311 on Saturday. Jiri Prochazka confirmed off his fuel tank and various placing to finally put on down Hill. A dynamic counter sealed the deal for ‘Sweet Dreams’ as he was dropped and pounded out seconds later. It was a bitter capsule for Hill to swallow little question. Added to the truth that Hill has had a number of accidents, three cancelled fights and been completed twice all since his January 2023 victory over gentle heavyweight champ, Glover Texiera, it’s been a nightmare of a pair years for Hill.
Jamahal entered the struggle at #3 within the UFC’s gentle heavyweight division whereas Jiri was ranked at #2. With all of those components in thoughts, Jamahal ought to struggle Aleksandar Rakic.
It comes right down to #7 ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. who Hill was matched up with final yr earlier than his damage compelled a withdraw, or Rakic. Khalil went on to placed on an epic scrap in a dropping effort on quick discover towards the champ, Alex Pereia. Or there’s #5 ranked, Aleksandar Rakic, who has misplaced his final three fights: By third spherical knee damage TKO to Jan Blachowicz in 2022, second spherical TKO reverse Jiri Prochazka in April of final yr and a unanimous resolution loss towards Magomed Ankalaev in October. Rakic makes somewhat extra sense as each males have been completed by Jiri and have a bit of labor to do (greater than 2-3 fights again to the title). Barring a final second substitute state of affairs, in fact.
Hill’s subsequent struggle: Aleksandar Rakic
Serghei Spivac
Regardless of having Jailton Almedia in some deep bother early, Serghei Spivac was completed late within the first spherical on Saturday. Spivac has now misplaced two of his final 4, since early 2023. Spivac took a spherical to choke Derrick Lewis earlier than being stopped in two by Cyril Gane in September of ’23. Heading into the struggle on Saturday, Spivac was coming off a spherical one armbar victory over #8 ranked heavyweight Marcin Tybura final August.
Serghei entered the UFC 311 because the #7 ranked UFC heavyweight whereas his opponent was proper above him at #6.
The heavyweight rankings are crowded. Everybody has fought everybody. #9 ranked, Jairzinho Rozenstruik would make a variety of sense however he has a struggle booked towards #4 ranked Sergei Pavlovich. That struggle is scheduled for Feburary 1 nevertheless. The loser of the struggle would have both misplaced two or three of their final 4 bouts. It could even be a basic striker vs. grappler matchup in addition to a contemporary opponent both approach.
Spivac’s subsequent struggle: Loser of Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland was on the fallacious aspect of one other fast end to start out UFC 311’s fundamental card Saturday evening. To say it was a disappointing outcome for Holland can be a large understatement because the UFC gatekeeper fell to Reinier de Ridder through first spherical submission. Holland has now misplaced 4 of his final 5 fights since September of 2023. Holland has gone 0-2 at welterweight in two respectable showings towards Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Web page. Kevin dropped selections to each fighters. Kevin is 1-2 at middleweight in that point. The victory came to visit Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 in June of final yr.
Level clean, if Holland is lifeless set on persevering with to compete at 185lbs it can seemingly proceed to be troublesome for him to search out the win column or draw matchups that transfer him in the direction of the belt. At this tempo, it’s not laborious to think about a matchup with a man like Bo Nickal in his very close to future. In no way is that this any implication that Kevin Holland’s UFC roster spot is in jeopardy (it’s not), however Holland might simply see a step to a distinct tier with a pair extra losses in ‘that’ vogue. That mentioned, a fighter like Paul Craig can be an excellent matchup for Holland. Craig is 1-3 since transferring right down to 185lbs from 205lbs in mid 2023. His lone win in that point is a second-round end over Andre Muniz. The Scotsman was completed by Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho at middleweight. Most just lately, Craig misplaced a unanimous resolution to Bo Nickal at UFC 309. The grappling ace badly wants a win and he’d seemingly be prepared in time to match Kevin’s breakneck turnaround time between fights.
Holland’s subsequent struggle: Paul Craig
