UFC 322 featured some of the biggest superstars, up-and-comers, and veterans the sport has to offer. Madison Square Garden hosted one of the most stacked cards of the year, which did not disappoint. Five champions, both former and current, appeared on the card to take place in some of the highest-level MMA you will see. The whole night showcased firework KOs, records being broken, and dominant performances. A great night of fighting and one potentially one of the best cards of the year.
UFC 322 Recap:
#13 Beneil Dariush vs #9 Benoit Saint Dennis: Lightweight
It only took 16 seconds for Benoit Saint Dennis to knock Beneil Dariush cold and obtain the record for the fastest fight in lightweight history. Saint Dennis has been on a roll in his last few fights and has taken his game to a new level after his KO loss to Dustin Poirier and a loss to Renato Moicana due to an eye injury. He has won three straight fights since then, with each performance being more exceptional than the last and all by finish.
Saint Dennis is only 29 years old as well and can keep adding elements to his game. Dariush actually landed some great leg kicks to open the fight that chopped Benoit down for a second. He then clinched and tried to land a knee, but missed. Saint Dennis countered with a clubbing left hook that sent Dariush face-first on the canvas. A record for the Frenchman, and now puts him in a great position for a massive fight. He will likely be breaking into the top ten rankings after this performance.
#9 Carlos Prates vs #4 Leon Edwards: Welterweight
Carlos Prates is the first fighter to knock out former welterweight champion Leon Edwards and he did it viciously. Prates has burst on to the scene as one of the hardest hitting punchers in maybe all the UFC. He is coming off a stunning spinning back elbow KO victory against Geoff Neal where he flatlines him in one round. Leon comiing into this fight was on a two fight losing streak and looking to get back in the win column. In the first round, Leon came out with more fire than fans are suually used to seeing. He was using good leg kicks and controlling the pace of the fight. Edwards shot a takedown but was stuffed by Prates which stalled out on the cage and both men had to be separated. Leon would shoot another takedown and secure it but didn’t do much on offense afterwards.
It did do him enough to win the round but Prates came into the second round looking for blood. Just 90 seconds into the second round, Prates landed a clean straight left that slept Leon out cold and bounced his head on the mat. He then followed up with a brutal after shot that put an end it all. Prates got another KO win under his belt and will now likely be in the top five rankings of the welterweight division. With just a couple more wins, Prates could looking at a title shot very soon.
#8 Michael Morales vs #2 Sean Brady: Welterweight
Michael Morales stays undefeated after a round one TKO victory over the number two-ranked Sean Brady. Brady was on a tear leading up to this fight, and many thought he was a shoo-in for a title shot to take on the winner of Makhachev vs Della Maddalena. He didn’t want to wait around and stay inactive, so he took the fight against the undefeated, 26-year-old phenom in Michael Morales. This ultimately came back to haunt him as Morales would dominate Brady on the feet. Brady started round one feeling out Morales and kept the distance with light strikes. These didn’t do much damage, and Morales started to walk Brady down. and land some big strikes that sent Brady retreating.
Brady is known for his elite grappling, but did not use those skills as a go-to option, which was the difference maker. Morales was too big and powerful to overcome. He landed some big combinations towards the end of the first round that wobbled Brady and sent him to the floor. A few ground and pound shots later, and the fight was done. Morales is now 19-0 and is in position for a title shot in his next few fights.
(C) Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili: Women’s Flyweight
Valentina Shevchenko improves to 11 title defenses after a dominant win over Zhang Weili by unanimous decision. Two of the greatest female fighters went head-to-head in a super fight in women’s MMA. The current flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, took on former strawweight champion Zhang Weili, who was looking for double champ status. Weili vacated her title to move up in weight and face Shevchenko to put a stamp on an already legendary legacy. Valentina proved, though, that she not only has the skills to outclass Weili but the size as well. Shevchenko looked massive compared to Weili, and it was evident that it would play a big role in the fight.
Shevchenko is world-class in almost every aspect of MMA, and she showed it once again in a masterclass performance. She took Weili down at will and tallied over 13 minutes of control time and outlanded her as well. Anything that Shevchenko wanted, she got, and Weili had no answer. Valentina would win by unanimous decision and moved into fourth place in total title defense in UFC history. One of the all-time greats did it again and proved why she is one of the GOATs of the sport.
(C) Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev
The former lightweight champion and number one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC defeated welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena by unanimous decision to become the two-division champion. Makhachev vacated his title earlier this year in preparation for his welterweight debut, which would be for the belt as he would face the fearsome Maddalena. Islam has the most title defenses in lightweight history and feels that he has done everything he needed to in that division. Welterweight is his new home, at least for now, with Ilia Topuria still looming just a weight class below. Islam is renowned as the best fighter pound for pound in the world by almost all MMA fans, and for good reason. He has beaten some of the all-time greats and made it look relatively easy. No one seems to have an answer to his wrestling mixed with high-level striking.
Maddalena thought he was the one who would knock off the king, as he had just fought someone with a similar fighting style in Belal Muhammad. He has one of the best boxing skills in all of the UFC and showed great takedown defense in his last fight. However, Makhachev showed that there are levels to the game and that no one is on his level. Makhachev took down Maddalena at will and chewed up Jack’s leg as well, on the feet that stunted the champion. Islam landed only four takedowns in the fight, but once Madallena was down, he wasn’t going to get back up. The pressure and skills of Makhachev were too much for Maddalena to overcome, and Islam would go on to win all five rounds for a unanimous decision win.
He is now the welterweight champion and has a plethora of potential fights awaiting him. The biggest of course is a super fight with Ilia Topuria, which could go down as one of the biggest fights in UFC history. Makhachev would like to stay at welterweight due to the weight cut being easier, and is looking down the rankings to see who his next challenger might be. Islam Makhachev is back at the pinnacle of the MMA world, and it doesn’t look like anyone will get in his way anytime soon. However, just on this card alone, there are fighters in his same weight class that could have a chance to dethrone the all-time great and potential future GOAT.
