Lead
On Nov. 15, 2025 in New York City, UFC 322 staged two title fights headlining a stacked card as Jack Della Maddalena defended the welterweight belt against Islam Makhachev and Valentina Shevchenko put her flyweight crown on the line against Zhang Weili. The event produced multiple decisive finishes on the main card, including early knockouts and a string of finishes that reshuffled contender lists. CBS Sports ran live updates through the night; by the fourth round of the co‑main Shevchenko held an unofficial 40‑36 lead. Several undercard winners — Michael Morales, Carlos Prates and Benoit Saint Denis — delivered highlight knockouts with immediate title implications.
Key takeaways
- UFC 322 took place Nov. 15, 2025, in New York City with two title fights atop the card: welterweight and women’s flyweight.
- Michael Morales defeated Sean Brady via first‑round knockout; Morales extended his run to three consecutive first‑round KOs and publicly pushed for a title shot.
- Carlos Prates scored a second‑round knockout of former welterweight champion Leon Edwards, handing Edwards the first KO loss of his ~15‑year pro career.
- Benoit Saint Denis finished Beneil Dariush in 16 seconds, the quickest stoppage on the main card and a major statement in the lightweight rankings.
- Through four rounds of the co‑main, Valentina Shevchenko led Zhang Weili with an unofficial 40‑36 score, controlling much of the bout with pressure, takedowns and strikes.
- Several undercard decisions and submissions set up new contender matchups: Erin Blanchfield, Kyle Daukaus and Pat Sabatini recorded decisive wins.
- DraftKings odds listed Makhachev a heavy favorite (-305) entering the main event while Shevchenko was a modest favorite (-135) against Zhang.
Background
The UFC’s annual New York stop traditionally draws stacked cards and large audiences; UFC 322 continued that pattern with two title fights risking legacy shifts. Islam Makhachev entered as one of MMA’s premier lightweights and was attempting to capture a second divisional title in welterweight, a move similar to other recent multi‑weight bids in UFC history. Jack Della Maddalena, the defending welterweight champion, faced arguably the toughest first defense possible — a dominant grappler with elite sambo credentials.
On the women’s side, Valentina Shevchenko — already an all‑time great at flyweight — defended against Zhang Weili, a former strawweight champion who had vacated that belt to pursue two‑division status. Both women have reputations as elite strikers with different stylistic ceilings: Shevchenko brings size and tactical variety while Zhang brings pressure and knockout power.
Beyond the headliners, the card featured a mix of veterans and emerging names: knockout artists like Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, grappling threats such as Rodolfo Vieira, and rising contenders whose performances would factor into matchmaking and rankings in the weeks after Nov. 15.
Main event and card developments
The night’s undercard produced multiple early finishes that altered contender conversations. Benoit Saint Denis opened the main card with a 16‑second knockout of Beneil Dariush, a result that immediately pushed Saint Denis into lightweight discussion. The finish was a sudden left hook that dropped Dariush and ended the fight before the round reached the quarter‑minute mark.
Carlos Prates, a noted KO specialist, handed Leon Edwards the first knockout loss of his roughly 15‑year pro career with a heat‑seeking left in Round 2. Prates, who has 18 KOs in 23 wins, continued a streak of high‑impact finishes and enhanced his status among top welterweight punchers.
Michael Morales added to the evening’s knockout theme, scoring a first‑round KO over Sean Brady after a combination of precise jabs and power punches. Morales’ third straight first‑round stoppage prompted him to request a title opportunity against the eventual main event winner.
Other main‑card finishes included Bo Nickal defeating Rodolfo Vieira by third‑round knockout and Erin Blanchfield submitting Tracy Cortez in Round 2. Several decisions on the undercard — including unanimous wins for Gregory Rodrigues, Ethyn Ewing, Pat Sabatini and Fatima Kline — rounded out the official outcomes announced during the broadcast window.
Analysis & implications
The flurry of knockouts reshuffles short‑term matchmaking. Fighters who ended opponents emphatically — Prates, Morales and Saint Denis — will press for higher‑profile fights; the promotion typically rewards visible momentum with ranked matchups or rapid upgrades in placement. Any fighter who now sits on a multi‑fight KO run becomes an immediate high‑value opponent for established contenders seeking to regain form.
For the champions involved, the nights’ developments matter differently. If Makhachev were to secure the welterweight title, he would join a small group of multi‑division champions and further cement his case among the sport’s modern elites; as the pre‑fight lines showed, he entered as a clear betting favorite. Shevchenko’s four‑round edge over Zhang points to her tactical control and ability to neutralize pressure, but a fifth round and official scorecards ultimately determine legacy impacts and statistical records.
The Edwards loss is particularly consequential: a first career KO changes stylistic considerations for him and matchmakers. Conversely, Prates’ continued finishing rate highlights a division‑wide vulnerability to single‑punch power and may accelerate title picture conversations for him in 2026. Promotions and broadcasters will likely market these new narratives through early‑2026 matchmaking and marquee promotional pushes.
Comparison & data
| Fighter | Result | Method | Notable stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Morales | def. Sean Brady | KO, Round 1 | 3rd consecutive first‑round KO |
| Carlos Prates | def. Leon Edwards | KO, Round 2 | 18 KOs in 23 career wins |
| Benoit Saint Denis | def. Beneil Dariush | KO, 0:16 of Round 1 | Quickest main‑card stoppage at UFC 322 |
| Valentina Shevchenko | vs. Zhang Weili | After 4 rounds — leading | Unofficial 40‑36 through four rounds |
| Islam Makhachev | vs. Jack Della Maddalena | TBD | Entered as -305 favorite (DraftKings) |
The table above distills key outcomes and context from the main card: early knockouts accelerated contender narratives while the co‑main showed a longer, tactical contest. These numbers help contextualize short‑term ranking moves and promotional priorities for matchmakers.
Reactions & quotes
“Morales is a bona fide title contender.”
CBS Sports (live updates)
The live updates framed Morales’ win as a direct call to the title scene; his performance and post‑fight posture make a compelling case for an elevated matchup. Broadcasters and MMA analysts immediately debated whether the promotion would grant Morales a fast‑track title shot.
“Unofficial score: 10‑9 Shevchenko (40‑36 Shevchenko overall).”
CBS Sports (round summary)
Round‑by‑round reporting emphasized Shevchenko’s control through four frames, citing takedowns, body work and clinch control as the decisive factors that put Zhang in a deficit heading into the final round.
“Prates lived up to his reputation with another KO.”
CBS Sports (fight recap)
That summary line encapsulated the narrative around Prates’ night: consistent finishing ability and a growing highlight reel that will be used to leverage higher‑profile fights into 2026.
Unconfirmed
- The official result and final scorecards for the co‑main (Shevchenko vs. Zhang) were pending in the live feed beyond the fourth‑round summary and therefore not certified here.
- The final outcome of the main event (Makhachev vs. Della Maddalena) was not confirmed in the provided live updates and is listed as TBD in this report.
- Early post‑fight matchmaking talk (Morales requesting a title shot) is subject to UFC matchmaking decisions and not an official booking as of Nov. 15, 2025.
Bottom line
UFC 322 delivered high‑impact finishes that will reshape short‑term contender lists and gave several undercard fighters immediate leverage for more prominent matchups. The night’s knockout streak — punctuated by Saint Denis’ 16‑second stoppage and Prates’ KO of a former champion — created clear marketable narratives for the promotion and risked accelerating rematches or title eliminators.
The co‑main showed the value of tactical versatility, with Shevchenko ahead through four rounds by unofficial count, illustrating how size, clinch work and takedowns can blunt heavy hitters. Until the main event and final scorecards are officially posted, the larger legacy impacts — particularly any multi‑division title crowning for Makhachev or Zhang — remain contingent on certified results and subsequent official announcements from the UFC.
Sources
- CBS Sports — live updates and fight recaps (media: event coverage)
- DraftKings Sportsbook — odds (commercial sportsbook odds referenced in broadcast)