Clash of Titans: UFC 322 Set to Explode at Madison Square Garden

The mecca of combat sports braces for impact as VeChain UFC 322 descends upon New York City's iconic Madison Square Garden tonight, November 15, 2025. Two blockbuster title fights headline a card dripping with historic implications, where former lightweight king Islam Makhachev storms welterweight territory and Chinese powerhouse Zhang Weili invades flyweight—both chasing the rare air of two-division dominance.

The Dagestani Invasion: Makhachev's Bold Leap to 170

At the pinnacle sits a superfight for the ages. Welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena, the sharp-shooting Australian with ice in his veins, makes his first title defense against the man many still crown as pound-for-pound royalty: Islam Makhachev.

Fresh off vacating his lightweight throne, the Dagestani wrestling machine brings a suffocating ground game and an 18-fight win streak into enemy territory. Della Maddalena, riding knockout artistry and unflappable composure, vows to keep it standing where his sniper-like precision has felled giants before. One question dominates fight week: Can JDM stuff the takedowns long enough to turn MSG into his personal highlight reel, or will Makhachev drag him into the deep waters of mat control?

Bullet vs Magnum: Shevchenko Faces Her Toughest Test Yet

In the co-main event, the greatest women's flyweight of all time risks her legacy against a freight train from Beijing. Valentina Shevchenko, the Kyrgyz-Peruvian "Bullet" with muay thai wizardry and seven successful defenses, welcomes two-time strawweight queen Zhang Weili to 125 pounds.

Zhang, vacating her own belt for this shot at immortality, packs thunderous fists that have starched legends. This isn't just a title fight—it's a collision of eras, where Shevchenko's technical mastery meets Zhang's overwhelming power in a bout that could redefine women's MMA greatness.

Grappling Gods Collide: Nickal and Vieira Promise Fireworks

Kicking off the main card, undefeated phenom Bo Nickal puts his wrestling pedigree on the line against Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Rodolfo Vieira in a middleweight war of styles. Nickal, rebounding from his first pro setback, meets a submission specialist hungry to remind the world why he's one of the planet's most dangerous on the canvas.

Add lightweight bangers like Beneil Dariush versus Benoit Saint-Denis, and the card pulses with violence from the opening bell.

The Weigh-In Drama: One Veteran Falters

Friday's scales delivered mostly smooth sailing—both title fights made championship weight with room to spare. Della Maddalena tipped at 170 sharp, Makhachev a chiseled 169.5. Shevchenko and Zhang hit 125 on the dot. But one veteran came up short, forfeiting 20% of his purse in a reminder that fight week is never without tension.

New York, New Legends?

Madison Square Garden has hosted some of UFC's most legendary nights—McGregor’s conquests, Nunes’ dominations, Jones’ coronations. Tonight adds another chapter as fighters from four continents chase immortality under the brightest lights.

Early prelims ignite at 6 p.m. ET, with the main card exploding onto ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. One thing is certain: by night's end, the pound-for-pound list will look very different, and the UFC landscape may never be the same.

The octagon awaits. History beckons. Who writes the next chapter?