A must-see main event between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev headlines a stacked UFC 322 card this Saturday.
The pre-fight narrative: The welterweight champ makes his first defence against the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in one of the most electric title fights of the year. Before that, take the value on Beneil Dariush as the underdog in his scheduled bout with Benoit Saint-Denis.
Check out my UFC 322 predictions for the Nov. 15 event in New York.
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UFC 322 predictions
Best bet: Della Maddalena/Makhachev over 4.5 rounds (+110)
To go with being two of the best, Della Maddalena and Makhachev are two of the most durable fighters in the UFC.
- Della Maddalena is perfect in eight UFC fights, and he hasn't lost since dropping back-to-back MMA bouts to begin his 18-2 career.
- Makhachev is on a 15-fight win streak, and he's only been finished once in 28 fights as a pro.
The Australian demonstrated his heart and improvements when he defeated Belal Muhammad by decision at UFC 315.
He stuffed six of the nine takedowns Muhammad attempted, which is no easy feat against an elite grappler.
In addition to the strong defensive wrestling, Della Maddalena landed 178 significant strikes, showcasing his insane cardio.
-> Check out full Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev betting markets
Della Maddalena is a natural 170-pound athlete. Makhachev, meanwhile, will be stepping into his first UFC fight in the welterweight class.
Neither Gilbert Burns, a high-level Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt, nor Muhammad, the best grappler at welterweight, could control Della Maddalena. That tells me his defensive grappling is elite.
Makhachev will likely try to wrestle for the entirety of the 25 minutes, and I expect the champ to do a great job nullifying the grappling.
On their feet, these are two of the best in the sport at minimizing damage. This main event bout should be a chess match of the highest level.
Key stat: Both fighters have a significant strike defence higher than 60%.
UFC best bet
Dariush to win (+150): This lightweight clash is likely going to be a war, so I'm going to side with the durability and experience of Dariush.
He was on an eight-fight win streak before taking back-to-back losses against former champ Charles Oliveira and top contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Those are two of the best in the division, so it's hardly a knock on Dariush.
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Saint-Denis, on the other hand, has a recent loss to Renato Moicano, who just lost to Dariush at UFC 317.
The Frenchman is a skilled fighter, but his gas tank lets him down at times, and he's fallen short every time he's had a crack at a top lightweight.
And Dariush fits the bill as one of the best in the division. He's a high-level grappler with great boxing skills. He should be able to put the pressure on Saint-Denis and is worth a look at +155.
UFC 322 predictions as of 1:58 p.m. on 11/13/2025.
