UFC 311 saw Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili successfully defend their titles with impressive performances, while the event delivered thrilling fights and unexpected outcomes despite losing its originally scheduled main event.
UFC 311 is in the books, and both Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili remain UFC champions.
On Saturday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., Makhachev ran through late-replacement Renato Moicano. It was the main event for his fourth straight lightweight title defense, setting the record and cementing himself as one of the best of all time. Plus, earlier in the evening, Dvalishvili scored an impressive decision win over Umar Nurmagomedov in his first bantamweight title defense.
On top of all that, the rest of UFC 311 offered a number of big results. So we gathered the MMA Fighting brain trust to break down the biggest topics from the UFC’s first pay-per-view event in 2025.
1. What is your blurb review of UFC 311?
Lee: A perfectly constructed card, given the circumstances.
The first three fights of the night went the distance, serving as perfectly entertaining appetizers. The rest of the prelims featured a mix of veterans and up-and-coming prospects—with one prize prospect, in particular, falling flat—And the main card delivered in spades with two brilliant fights and four finishes. Sure, we didn’t get to see Islam Makhachev rematch Arman Tsarukyan, but every opportunity to watch the best fighter on the whole damn planet put in work should be cherished.
Outside of losing the originally scheduled main event, this couldn’t have been a better start to the UFC’s pay-per-view slate.
Heck: Fun as hell.
As AK just laid out, losing the main event—and in my eyes, one of the absolute best fights on paper, stylistically, you can make in the UFC—a day before the first premium card of 2025 stings. But luckily, the UFC, Makhachev, Moicano, and their teams stepped up, made it happen and the best fighter on Earth still got to compete.
Add Merab vs. Umar being awesome, Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill’s absolute chaos, two quick finishes to start the main card, plus some huge upsets on the prelims, and you have a winner.
Martin: Main card madness!
While the prelims provided some surprises—nobody thought Payton Talbott would lose much less get blanked by Raoni Barcelos—the action wasn’t exactly off the charts. But the main card pulled no punches. Reinier de Ridder got things started with a lightning-quick submission over Kevin Holland and the relentless pace never slowed down from there.
Sure, it’s a little disappointing we didn’t get to see Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2 but as already stated by my colleagues, it’s still a pleasure to watch the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter go to work. Always enjoy those moments because they can’t last forever.
Meshew: A strong start to the year.
On paper, UFC 311 appeared to be an elite pay-per-view event with two title fights, several high-profile matchups, and an undercard filled with prospects. Things certainly took a bit of a hit when Arman Tsarukyan was forced to drop out, but overall the card still looked to be both extremely significant and fun. And when the dust all settled, that’s exactly what we got: big fights, great action, unexpected outcomes, and a good evening spent watching fistfights.
2. What was the best moment of UFC 311?
Lee: Anytime you have two potential Fight of the Year candidates and it’s only January, you know you had a good night.
Take your pick between Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov and Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill; there’s no wrong answer. I’m leaning towards the bantamweight championship fight—it was technique mixed with dogged determination that I love to see. Dvalishvili was at his relentless best Saturday, taking everything Nurmagomedov could throw at him and answering with a laugh and a smile on his face.
This was a legacy performance for the champion who many—including me—had predicted would fall to Nurmagomedov before it even started.
Heck: Merab having that big brother moment is probably right but I’m going with Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill instead.
The pressure on both those men was off-the-charts yet in totally different ways. Prochazka is like Derrick Lewis where rankings matter only so much; people just want him being Jiri inside octagon! His forever title hopes were hanging by thread though…
Hill needed this one badly—a loss would’ve been crippling (at least that’s what I thought). Despite tough PR years recently he had fantastic fight week build-up followed by even better performance despite losing outcome-wise… Hill proved himself top-tier among 205ers more than when winning against Glover Teixeira!
Martin: Let’s not over-complicate things here—the answer is Merab Dvalishvili silencing all his doubters and it’s not particularly close.
Nobody believed in Nurmagomedov more than me; he truly looked like future bantamweight division champ material until Saturday night belonged solely unto Dvalishvili instead…
“The Machine” once again lived up nickname dropping couple rounds early almost baiting Nurmagomedov false confidence thoroughly turning tables latter half fight pace conditioning perhaps greatest weapon MMA currently because made look like no gas tank past two rounds constant pressure takedowns timely strikes allowed simply overwhelm challenger proving wrong myself included cementing world wide margin superiority…
Meshew: This is low-hanging fruit but answer lies within main event itself showcasing Islam Makhachev’s ascension…
Credit given where due regarding exceptional performance by Dvalishvili however peers waxed poetic enough about that already let me discuss undisputed best fighter worldwide post-weekend events transpiring even Dana White now agrees atop pound-for-pound list…
Saturday wasn’t Tsarukyan showdown everyone anticipated yet demolition displayed by world’s finest wasn’t guaranteed either short notice bouts inherently tricky champions cautious historically *cough* Jon Jones *cough* refuse risks involved whereas Makhachev embraced challenge ran through Moicano effortlessly impressively so…
On Saturday cemented historical place setting lightweight title defense record officially opening conversation regarding potential all-time pantheon inclusion still merely thirty-three years old unprecedented territory within sport’s premier division legitimate argument Top Fifteen standing ample room growth improvement…
3. What was worst moment UFC311?
Lee:This show was so fun I had reach deep find standout negative…
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