Billed as “Makhachev vs Tsarukyan 2”, UFC 311 promises to be an event that lives up to the hype that fight fans have had ever since it was announced.
Set to take place in Inglewood, California, at the Intuit Dome on January 18, 2025, MMA enthusiasts have arguably been waiting years to see the rematch take place between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan. The duo faced off against each other in a contest at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleynik in April 2019, where Makhachev was victorious by unanimous decision.
It was a fight that had attracted plenty of attention when it took place almost six years ago and is one that is going to intrigue even more this time around. Bettors are going to be keen on what the fight has to offer, as those who participate in UFC betting activities will find it difficult to find the flight hard to ignore. At the same time, it is a card that is stacked with talent, thus presenting several wagering opportunities that can help enhance the overall entertainment that can be obtained when the athletes take to the Octagon.
There had been concerns that this fight would have to be postponed due to the current wildfires that are being experienced in California. However, the venue has already confirmed that they would be in a position to keep the event going ahead, which is going to have pleased fans and bettors alike.
What does the UFC 311 Fight Card Look Like?
Given that there has been a lot of hype around the upcoming event, it’s well worth taking a look at the fight card to refresh ourselves about what to potentially expect when the UFC comes to California on January 18.
As of January 14, the fight card has been set to feature the following bouts (which are subject to conditions such as injuries or other unforeseen circumstances):
Main Card
- Islam Makhachev (Champion, 26-1) vs Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) for the UFC Lightweight Championship
- Merab Dvalishvili (Champion, 18-4) vs Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0) for the UFC Bantamweight Championship
- Jiří Procházka (30-5-1) vs Jamahal Hill (12-2)
- Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) vs Renato Moicano (20-5-1)
- Kevin Holland (26-12) vs Reinier de Ridder (18-2)
Prelims
- Billy Elekana (7-1) vs Bogdan Guskov (16-3)
- Payton Talbott (9-0) vs Raoni Barcelos (18-5)
- Jailton Almeida (21-3) vs Serghei Spivac (17-4)
- Zachary Reese (8-1) vs Azamat Bekoev (18-3)
Early Prelims
- Grant Dawson (22-2-1) vs Carlos Diego Ferreira (19-5)
- Karol Rosa (18-6) vs Ailín Pérez (11-2)
- Rinya Nakamura (9-0) vs Muin Gafurov (19-6)
- Ricky Turcios (12-4) vs Bernardo Sopaj (11-3)
- Tagir Ulanbekov (15-2) vs Clayton Carpenter (8-0)
With 14 stellar fights on the card, it’s no wonder that there are so many who have been extremely excited about the prospect of what could happen. The fight card features two championship bouts as part of its main headline events, several undefeated fights and a rescheduled contest that was supposed to take place at the end of last year.
Given the quality of the athletes on the card and the potential betting opportunities that have presented themselves, those who are looking to make their UFC picks & predictions may find that they are struggling to work out who or what the best bets are. Thankfully, there has been some help from leading bookmaker Stake Sportsbook, as they’ve provided their own thoughts regarding what they believe could happen at UFC 311.
Looking Ahead: Makhachev vs Tsarukyan 2 – A Close-Fought Contest
The fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan is the biggest draw on the card for many, hence why it has been announced as the headline fight. The pair have come an extremely long way when it comes to their respective UFC fight careers, with both having had different trajectories.
Makhachev has managed to firmly establish himself as the #1 lightweight and has been #1 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings since November 2023. He has had an incredible career in the sport, having accomplished a pre-fight record of 26-1. This record has included three consecutive successful title defenses, after he won it from Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. Since then, he has defended it twice against Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier since winning it in October 2022.
Indeed, in Stake’s exclusive interview with Merab Dvalishvili, he appears confident of his chances of retaining the title against his opponent. He admitted he is “ready to go” and there are “no excuses” ahead of his fight, despite admitting he had been dealing with a “serious injury”. It’s something that Tsarukyan has also been claiming he has had to deal with, although the champion isn’t buying what his opponent is saying.
Nonetheless, he knows he has to enter the Octagon with respect for him. Tsarukyan has been enjoying his own rise in the UFC since turning professional and has come a long way since his debut fight, which was against Saturday’s opponent. He lost that bout by unanimous decision, but has since managed to build a 22-3 overall record.
In his career thus far, the Armenian has managed to defeat several quality competitors. In his last fight, he managed to overcome the challenge of Oliveira at UFC 300, leading to him landing the opportunity to fight for the UFC Lightweight title. In that bout, he won by split decision as he was able to escape and survive multiple submission attempts.
The first contest between the two saw a number of wrestling moves exchanged in a fast-paced contest between the duo. It has been described as one of the toughest challenges that the current champion has had to endure in his career, which is why many are expecting another close-fought bout. Nonetheless, the champion is favored to win, with suggestions that it will be another outcome based on the decision of the judges.
Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov: Potential New UFC Bantamweight Champion?
Arguably, the bout between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov is perhaps more of an attraction than the one between Makhachev and Tsarukyan. Although the latter of the two contests can be described as “bigger”, there is something about the upcoming contest between the former half of the quartet that just makes it more intriguing and appealing.
While there are many who are expecting the main headliner of UFC 311 to go the distance and see the champion retain, the co-main event is also expected to go the distance. However, the difference is the idea that there will be a new champion crowned in Inglewood, California on Saturday, January 18.
Nurmagomedov is nothing short of being a rising superstar in the sport at the moment, keeping the family name alive as being among the best the sport has ever seen. His cousin is Khabib who is the undefeated former UFC Lightweight Champion and held the belt for almost three years between 2018 and 2021. He had a record that stood 29-0 and his younger cousin is well on the way to replicating it, albeit at a different weight.
Umar is currently 18-0 in his career and has already faced several tough and established MMA fighters. His career admittedly started with issues, many out of his control, but once he got going, he has become unstoppable. However, if there is a concern regarding his fights, it’s that he doesn’t appear to have the finishing quality that fighters need. He has managed to win most of his bouts by decision, which is expected to happen once again at UFC 311.
However, it’s important not to write off Dvalishvili. The current UFC Bantamweight Champion has a good record (18-4), although he has shown that he can be defeated. His defeats have largely come by way of decision (three), although he has only been stopped once (submission). He has won his last four consecutive fights, which makes him a dangerous opponent. Each of those victories came by way of decision, suggesting that he can hold his own against anyone he fights at the weight level, hence why he is considered the #1 fighter in the division.
He managed to become champion in his last fight, which was against Sean O’Malley, winning by unanimous decision at UFC 306. His win was marred with controversy, as O’Malley didn’t agree with the scoring, while others criticized the referee for his performance inside the Octagon.
Nonetheless, he remains the current champion and will arguably be Nurmagomedov’s toughest challenge of his career thus far.
UFC 311: A Solid Fight Card Promising Fireworks
Although we’ve only discussed the two main events, the entire UFC 311 fight card promises to provide fans with fireworks, should everything live up to the hype and expectations fans have after seeing the scheduled lineup.
Of course, the reason so many love the UFC and MMA is due to the unpredictability that the sport brings, as nothing can be guaranteed when two opponents step inside the Octagon on the night.
However, with individuals like Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan seemingly sharing a level of bitterness toward each other, it only helps to add excitement to what we could all be about to receive on January 18.