Date: January 18, 2025
Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California
Backup Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
UFC 311 kicks off 2025 with a bang, set to take place on the night of January 18 at the newly unveiled Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. This star-studded event promises a thrilling start to the UFC calendar, featuring multiple championship showdowns and highly anticipated clashes. However, the looming threat of California wildfires has cast a shadow over the event. While venue representatives have confirmed it’s still on, UFC President Dana White has said the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is ready as a backup if needed.
A late shake-up to the card has added to the drama. Tsarukyan was forced to withdraw from the Main Event, being replaced by Renato Moicano (10). Furthermore, Light heavyweight Johnny Walker has withdrawn from his fight against Bogdan Guskov due to a "bad injury," as confirmed on Walker’s social media. The UFC wasted no time securing a replacement, and Guskov will now face Billy Elekana, a seasoned competitor from the Legacy Fighting Alliance and Professional Fighters League. Elekana will make his UFC debut in what is expected to be a prelim matchup.
Here's all the watch info and the full lineup for the event that has MMA fans on the edge of their seats:
LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE BOUT: Islam Makhachev (Champion) vs. Renato Moicano (10)
BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BOUT: Merab Dvalishvili (Champion) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (2)
HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT: Jailton Almeida (6) vs. Serghei Spivac (7)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT: Jiří Procházka (2) vs. Jamahal Hill (3)
MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT: Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT: Bogdan Guskov (13) vs. Billy Elekana
BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT: Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos
MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT: Zach Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas
LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT: Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira
WOMENS BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT: Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez
BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT: Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafurov
BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT: Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj
FLYWEIGHT BOUT: Tagir Ulanbekov (11) vs. Clayton Carpenter
UFC 311 boasts a stacked lineup featuring 12 champions or ranked fighters spread across eight weight classes, promising a night of electrifying action. Two title fights headline the event, ensuring high stakes and unforgettable moments.
Men’s bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will put his title on the line for the first time against undefeated phenom Umar Nurmagomedov. Known for his relentless pace and wrestling dominance, Dvalishvili faces a dangerous challenge in Nurmagomedov, who brings a lethal combination of striking precision and grappling prowess. The clash promises to be a high-energy battle for bantamweight supremacy.
The highly anticipated Main Event between Islam Makhachev and contender Arman Tsarukyan would in the last minute need to pushed, as Tsarukyan being forced to withdraw and being replaced by Renato Moicano.
Thus, Moicano gearing up for the chance of a lifetime as he suddenly must prepare to face the champion for a title-bout. Coming off a career-defining 2024, where he claimed victory over Jalin Turner at UFC 300 and silenced the hometown crowd in Paris with a win over Benoit Saint-Denis, Moicano's rise toward this lightweight title shot is in full swing. Currently ranked No. 10 in the division, he now faces the world #1.
With elite talent and high-stakes matchups, UFC 311 is set to deliver an unforgettable start to the MMA calendar. Will the champions hold their ground, or will challengers seize their moment under the bright lights?
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