UFC President Dana White brought the heat late on Wednesday night, taking to social media to formally announce the main and co-main event fights for UFC 311 in Los Angeles. Both bouts are for championships.
As most have expected for over a month, UFC lightweight champion and pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter Islam Makhachev will defend his title against Arman Tsarukyan in a rematch.
Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan in April 2019 via unanimous decision in a contest that won Fight of the Night. Since that loss, Tsarukyan has gone on an incredible run, going 9-1 with huge wins over Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira in his last two fights.
Tsarukyan’s last two fights earned him Performance of the Night bonuses, underscoring his rapid rise as a top contender.
Even more impressively, Makhachev has won the lightweight title and gone undefeated in nine fights, with victories over a virtual who’s who in and around the weight class.
The rematch has all the makings of an epic showdown.
The second championship fight will see bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defend his title against Umar Nurmagomedov in a rivalry that has been heating up ever since Dvalishvili dethroned Sean O’Malley in September at Noche UFC.
Nurmagomedov and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, have been trolling Dvalishvili for weeks, and they’re finally getting their title shot. Nurmagomedov might be the only fighter in the bantamweight division who can match Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling—or so we think.
Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record at 18-0 includes seven submission victories, showcasing his grappling dominance.
The eyes of the MMA world will be locked on Los Angeles to see which two fighters leave the City of Angels as champion. The rest of the card is still being finalized, but here’s what we know about the event so far, according to Tapology.
UFC 311 Card
- Date: January 18, 2025
- Venue: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, California
The Intuit Dome will host its first UFC event, adding a layer of excitement to the promotion’s West Coast showcase. We’re going to see a bit of a TKO Holdings takeover at the new venue in L.A.
WWE’s Monday Night Raw will emanate from the Intuit Dome on January 6 for its first episode of the show streamed live on Netflix.
Here is a look at the stacked card that features an excellent mix of established stars and up-and-comers.
(c) Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Weight Class: Lightweight (155 lbs)
(c) Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Weight Class: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac
Weight Class: Heavyweight (265 lbs)
Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill
Weight Class: Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder
Weight Class: Middleweight (185 lbs)
Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafurov
Weight Class: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov
Weight Class: Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez
Weight Class: Women’s Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas
Weight Class: Middleweight (185 lbs)
Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos
Weight Class: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Ricky Turcios vs. Bernardo Sopaj
Weight Class: Bantamweight (135 lbs)
Grant Dawson vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira
Weight Class: Lightweight (155 lbs)
