With a positively stacked five-fight lineup for the main card, UFC 323 is set to bring the promotion’s thrilling ESPN era to a close on pay-per-view. In the main event of UFC 323, Georgian powerhouse Merab Dvalishvili is set to take to the Octagon for the fourth time this year as he makes his latest title defense opposite former champion Petr Yan. Before that, flyweight gold standard Alexandre Pantoja locks horns with reputed volume puncher Joshua Van in what is shaping up to become the greatest bout in the division in 2025.
Now, let’s take a look at some interesting pre-event tidbits about the UFC 323 main card:
UFC 323: Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov
Jan Blachowicz
Blachowicz enters the event on a two-fight losing streak, coming up short to both Alex Pereira and Carlos Ulberg, with both matches ending via decision/ He is the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, gaining the strap at UFC 253 and making one successful defense at UFC 259. He reigned for 398 days until his defeat at UFC 267.
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11 of his 29 wins as a professional have come by way of the judge’s scorecards.
Bogdan Guskov
Coming into UFC 323, Guskov is currently riding a four-fight winning streak. He has not lost since falling in his UFC debut to Volkan Oezdemir in 2023. All 18 of his victories as a professional have ended in finishes.
UFC 323: Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo, retiring after UFC 323, is a previous simultaneous flyweight and bantamweight champion. He has not won a bout since making his return from his first retirement in 2023, losing three fights in a row to Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili and Song Yadong.
His walk to the cage at UFC 323 is his second and final retirement.
Payton Talbott
Talbott has been a part of the UFC roster since 2023 after earning a contract with the company on Contender’s Series. He recently returned to the winner’s circle with a superb triumph over Felipe Lima at UFC 317.
This will be the first time he will be facing a current ranked contender.
UFC 323: Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira
Brandon Moreno
Moreno is a former two-time flyweight champion who has won back-to-back contests over Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg. This will be the first time he has competed at a pay-per-view event since UFC 290.
Tatsuro Taira
Taira is coming off of a second round submission win over the then undefeated Park Hyun-Sung. His UFC record stands at 7-1 going into UFC 323.
Similarly to Moreno, this will also be the first time he has fought on a pay-per-view card since UFC 290.
UFC 323: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van
Alexandre Pantoja
Champion Alexandre Pantoja has defended his flyweight strap four times. He is placed at No. 5 on the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
He is the only 125-lb king to have retained his belt more than two times other than Demetrious Johnson.
Joshua Van
Challenger Joshua Van is currently on a five-fight win streak after losing previously to Charles Johnson in 2024. His appearance at UFC 323 will be his third tilt of 2025.
He holds the UFC record for the highest significant strikes landed per minute in UFC history at 8.86.
UFC 323: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan
Merab Dvalishvili
Champion Merab Dvalishvili has defended his bantamweight championship three times ahead of UFC 323. He is ranked No. 3 on the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
He is the second Georgia-born title-holder in UFC history.
Petr Yan
Challenger Petr Yan has won his last three consecutive fights over Song Yadong, Deiveson Figueiredo and Marcus McGhee. He is a previous 135-lb champion after gaining the strap at UFC 251 before losing it in his first defense at UFC 259.
He holds the promotional record for second most significant strikes landed in UFC Bantamweight division history at 1,317.
