The fighters have weighed in for UFC 312 ahead of the PPV set for Saturday, February 8 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. We lost one fight off the card, but thankfully, it wasn’t the main or co-main event.
Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland were on championship weight for their rematch in the main event. The same can be said for Weili Zhang and Tatiana Suarez.
Suarez, the challenger, was actually a half-pound under the 115-pound weight limit, so all systems are a go for the intriguing co-main event clash.
The opening fight on the early prelims was set to feature Hyun Sung Park vs. Ayamjargal Tumendemberel. However, Tumendemberel suffered some complications during his weight cut, and the fight was canceled.
The card will now move forward with 12 fights. Here is a look at the complete card with start times for each segment and how to watch.
UFC 312 Date, Time, and How to Watch
Main Card – 10 PM ET – ESPN+ PPV
- (C) Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland – UFC Middleweight Championship
- (C) Weili Zhang vs. Tatiana Suarez – UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship
- Justin Tafa vs. Talisson Teixeira – Heavyweight
- Jimmy Crute vs. Rodolfo Bellato – Light Heavyweight
- Jake Matthews vs. Francisco Prado – Welterweight
Prelims – 8 PM ET – ESPN2 and ESPN+
- Jack Jenkins vs. Gabriel Santos – Featherweight
- Tom Nolan vs. Viacheslav Borschev – Lightweight
- Wang Cong vs. Bruna Brasil – Women’s Flyweight
- Colby Thicknesse vs. Aleksandre Topuria – Bantamweight
Early Prelims – 6 PM ET – ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass
- Jonathan Micallef vs. Kevin Jousset – Welterweight
- Kody Steele vs. Rongzhu – Lightweight
- Quillan Salkilld vs. Anshul Jubli – Lightweight
- Hyun Sung Park vs. Ayamjargal Tumendemberel – Flyweight (Canceled)
Fights to Watch at UFC 312
Dana White’s Contender Series standout Kody Steele will be making his main roster debut against Rongzhu. On paper, this fight figures to be an exciting scrap, as both men are known for their all-action styles.
However, Rongzhu was the last fighter to make weight, coming in at 156 pounds. Steele is a monster, and being in anything less than top condition could be bad for any opponent. It’ll be interesting to see if Steele is able to get the finish quickly on Saturday or if Rongzhu is ready and able to test the highly touted newcomer.
During the mid-level prelims, Colby Thicknesse will make his UFC debut against the brother of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. The jury is out on whether Aleksandre Topuria will be able to compete at the highest level of mixed martial arts.
We’ll find out for sure on Saturday, as this fight will open the mid-show segment.
Talisson Teixeira, another potential star from the most recent season of DWCS, will also make his main roster debut. He’ll face the rugged but one-dimensional Justin Tafa on the main card.
Teixeira is a 6-foot-7 heavyweight with excellent long-range striking and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has an interesting skill set and enviable length. Considering how weak the current heavyweight scene is in the UFC, Teixeira has a chance to rise quickly in the ranks.
He’ll get his first test on Saturday. If he wins impressively, don’t be surprised if he is ranked in the top 15 in the next UFC rankings.
