In what might be the best fight card of the year, UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2 is highlighted by two championship bouts with the main event featuring bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili putting his belt on the line against challenger Petr Yan in a rematch from a 2023 bout.
A winner in 14 consecutive fights, Dvalishvili goes for a fourth straight successful defense of the title he won in September 2024 with a unanimous decision over Sean O’Malley. Dvalishvili is listed as a heavy -440 favorite on the UFC betting odds.
The co-main event has Alexandre Pantoja putting his strap on the line against Joshua Van in a flyweight tussle. Pantoja has successfully defended against the last four challengers and is considered one of the best ever at 125-pounds.
UFC 323 Preview
A total of 14 fights are scheduled at UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2, which takes place on Saturday, December 6, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, NV. The entire card will air on the networks of ESPN with the main card on pay-per-view.
UFC 323 Predictions
- Known in MMA circles as “The Machine”, Dvalishvili has been just that this year. Few fighters enter the Octagon four times in a calendar year and fewer do it as reigning champion yet that’s exactly what Dvalishvili is doing on Saturday.
- Yan recovered from a 3-fight losing streak against some of the biggest names in the sport – Aljamin Sterling, Sean O’Malley, Dvalishvili – to win his next three earning the opportunity to reclaim the belt he held briefly in 2020.
- In the first bout with Dvalishvili, Yan claimed he was limited due to injuries and now has the chance to prove his worth. He’s listed at +319 on the UFC betting odds.
- Alexandre Pantoja has ruled the flyweight division since the first of eight straight wins in early 2021. Entering that fight with Manel Kape boasting a UFC record of just 6-3, Pantoja began his ascent with a unanimous decision.
- He’s held the flyweight belt since a split decision against Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 and successfully held off some of the top contenders in the division. Most recently Pantoja scored a submission over Kai Kara-France in June at UFC 317. The UFC betting odds have Pantoja as a -230 favorite.
- A fast riser, Van has won 8 of 9 fights since joining the promotion in 2023, including his last five.
- Van joined UFC after going 7-1 and winning the Fury Fighting Championship flyweight title in 2022.
- It’s hard to bet against Dvalishvili, who’s on a heater right now. And Van is an attractive option at plus odds due to his youth and ability to adapt on the fly to different techniques.
UFC 323 Betting Tips
- At -430 Dvalishvili is the second-biggest favorite on the entire 14-fight card.
- Undefeated Mansur Abdul-Malik is the biggest favorite on the board at -1150 for his early prelim middleweight fight against Antonio Trocoli.
- Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo makes his final trip to the Octagon for a bout with rising star Payton Talbott. A loser in his last three fights, Cejudo is a +209 underdog.
- Pantoja (-230) is favored over Van (+183) in the co-main event.
UFC 323 Head to Head and Key Stats
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan – Bantamweight Title Fight
- The main event is a rematch from a fight that took place on March 11, 2023 with Dvalishvili scoring a unanimous decision for his 9th straight win. It was the last of three consecutive losses for Yan, who claimed he was impacted by injury.
- Yan’s next fight was postponed for several months due to injuries that allegedly limited him against Dvalishvili.
- Overall Dvalishvili is 21-4 with 16 of his wins by decision.
- Yan boasts an overall record of 19-5 with 11 wins by decision.
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Joshua Van – Flyweight Title Fight
- Considered one of the greatest flyweights ever, Pantoja owns several UFC division records and boasts a career record of 30-5.
- Pantoja has never been stopped by an opponent with all five setbacks by decision.
- Van has won his last five fights and boasts a 15-2 career record with nine victories by stoppage.
- Van is more than 10 years younger than Pantoja
- Stepping in on 3 week’s notice, Van won his last fight by UD over Brandon Royval at UFC 317 with the two combining to land a 3-round record 419 significant strikes.
