UFC 323 is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 6th. Before the promotion’s Paramount+ CBS era begins, this PPV will mark their final event under the current ESPN broadcasting deal. With that in mind, fans have been eagerly predicting which fights will make the card, and it seems the last marquee event of 2025 is shaping up to be a certified banger.

Dana White announced he would go live across all his social media platforms, instantly hyping fans who knew some major bombshells were about to drop. The UFC boss revealed that Alexandre Pantoja will defend his flyweight title against Joshua Van in the co-main event. Following that, Merab Dvalishvili will make a quick turnaround to face Petr Yan, just two months after defeating Cory Sandhagen in the UFC 320 main event, aiming to become the first fighter to defend a championship belt for the fourth time in a year. But that’s not all. 

The UFC CEO also confirmed that former two-division champion Henry Cejudo will return after his controversial loss to Song Yadong at the Seattle Fight Night event. This time, ‘Triple C’ will face surging bantamweight contender Payton Talbott in what will be his final fight before retirement. 

And the undercard is also looking fire! Former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno is set to make his return against Japanese rising star Tatsuro Taira. Following them, Dana White announced that ex–205 lbs division king Jan Blachowicz will bring his trademark Polish power back inside the cage against Bogdan Guskov, that promises pure violence. So, that’s how the card is shaping up so far, and it already looks stacked 

But with all these explosive matchups compiled, one big question remains—which fighters have the highest stakes heading into UFC 323? Let’s find out. 

UFC 323: Merab and Pantoja eye glory against tough foes 

At UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili and Alexandre Pantoja — two of the most dominant champions in the UFC — will chase glory. But it won’t come easy, as their opponents pose serious threats inside the Octagon. That’s why the year-end card is already stealing attention, with so much more on the line than just gold.

In the main event, ‘The Machine’ returns to prove he’s truly the best bantamweight fighter in UFC history. In his last outing at UFC 320, Merab almost shattered records by landing 20 takedowns against ‘The Sandman’, coming just two short of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record of 21 takedowns in a single fight.  Now, at UFC 323, he has the chance to defend his belt for the fourth time this year — and possibly break ‘The Eagle’s’ record.

But this time, Petr Yan will come far more prepared. In their first clash, Merab overwhelmed him with a record-breaking 49 takedown attempts. Now, the Russian seems ready to adapt, showing excellent control in his last fight against Court McGee in July. While the headliner promises fireworks, the co-main event carries equally high stakes.

Alexandre Pantoja continues building toward Demetrious Johnson–level greatness. Although he may not reach 11 title defenses, ‘The Cannibal’ already holds four, and another win would cement his place among the division’s elite. Yet, standing across from him is hotshot contender Joshua Van, who’s chasing history to become the second-youngest champion ever at just 24. So, the champion needs to use his BJJ skills to counter the challenger’s impeccable striking abilities. 

That said, which fight has more intrigue at UFC 323 — the main event or the co-main? Let us know in the comments below.