Event Overview
Card Name
UFC 321
Subtitle
-
Status
OVER
Date
2025-10-25
Promotion
UFC
Venue
Etihad Arena
Location
Abu Dhabi
Event Series
Previous Card
UFC Fight Night
Next Card
None
Broadcast
No broadcast partners listed yet.
Tickets
Ticket information coming soon.
Pre-Fight Narratives
Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida
- Almeida entered the bout touted as a future heavyweight champion off a streak that included a five-round win over Derrick Lewis, a loss to Curtis Blaydes, then quick first-round finishes of Serghei Spivac and Alexandr Romanov; he was viewed as a takedown-first fighter who often finishes early but drew questions about his cardio in later rounds. https://mmafighting.com/
- Volkov was framed as the more experienced, technically superior striker and a gatekeeper who has slowed many contenders' rises, with some analysts believing his experience could matter in the later rounds. https://mmafighting.com/
- Pre-fight debate centered on whether Volkov could stop Almeida's wrestling — Volkov insisted he could, but critics noted Volkov had been taken down repeatedly in previous fights (e.g., 14 times by Curtis Blaydes and twice by Ciryl Gane) while Almeida averaged nearly seven takedowns per fight. https://mmamania.com/
- Betting lines moved notably: Volkov opened a sizeable underdog and drew public support (line shortened from +210 to around +159), while Almeida opened as the favorite (from -250 to about -194), reflecting divided public perception and some skepticism fueled by pundits like Daniel Cormier. https://mmamania.com/
- The bout was billed as a potential No.1-contender fight at heavyweight (a title eliminator), with Volkov ranked ahead of Almeida on many lists; it was scheduled for the main card at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. https://si.com/
- Physicals and basics: Volkov measured taller with a substantial reach advantage (listed ~6'7"/80" reach) while Almeida was slightly shorter (~6'3"/79" reach); both made heavyweight limits and entered with veteran records and contrasting styles. https://tapology.com/
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Mario Bautista
- Umar Nurmagomedov entered the fight needing a bounce-back after his first career loss to Merab Dvalishvili earlier in the year. mmamania.com
- Nurmagomedov was viewed as a takedown-heavy No.2 contender — a "takedown machine" with high striking accuracy — making wrestling the projected path to victory. mmamania.com
- Mario Bautista came in on a long win streak (noted as eight fights) and a reputation for finding ways to win, often forcing fights to decisions. mmafighting.com
- Betting markets made Nurmagomedov a heavy favorite (lines listed in coverage from roughly -430 to as steep as -700 in different outlets), framing Bautista as the underdog/spoiler. mmamania.com
- Pre-fight narrative emphasized stylistic contrast: Nurmagomedov's elite wrestling/grappling versus Bautista's high-output striking and scrambling, with Dana White publicly challenging Umar to deliver a performance for another title shot. mmafighting.com
Ikram Aliskerov vs Jun Yong Park
- Betting lines showed Aliskerov as the favorite while Park drew heavy public backing — Park moved from +285 to as low as +180 while Aliskerov opened near -350 and fluctuated (lines listed around -237 vs +191 before the fight). https://mmamania.com/
- Previews generally expected Aliskerov to hold a clear advantage on the feet while noting Park could use his grappling and grind out an upset; the author’s pick was Aliskerov. https://si.com/
- Bout scheduled as a middleweight (3x5) on the prelims; both fighters weighed 185.5 lb at the weigh-ins. Listed measures and ages: Aliskerov 6'0\" (183 cm), 76.0\" reach, ~32y10m; Park 5'10\" (178 cm), 73.0\" reach, ~34y7m; records entering were listed around Aliskerov 17-2 and Park 19-6. https://tapology.com/
Mitch Raposo vs Azat Maksum
- Both fighters entered the matchup looking to snap two-fight skids. si.com
- Pre-fight writers favored Azat Maksum and many previews picked Maksum to get back on track. si.com
- Betting markets heavily favored Maksum (around -462) with Raposo a long underdog (+348) and notable line movement reported. mmamania.com
- Official listings showed records of Azat Maksum 15-3 and Mitch Raposo 10-3; the matchup was presented on the flyweight portion of the card. espn.com
- At the weigh-ins Maksum missed the flyweight limit, coming in at 129 lb, so the bout was slated to proceed at a 129-lb catchweight. wikipedia.org
Mizuki Inoue vs Jaqueline Amorim
- Mizuki Inoue was returning to the UFC after a two-year layoff, while previews labeled Jaqueline Amorim a dangerous opponent who had finished her last four fights; writers/predictors leaned toward Amorim and expressed doubt that Inoue's long layoff boded well for her chances. https://si.com/
Nathaniel Wood vs Jose Delgado
- The bout was framed as one of the most underrated matchups on the UFC 321 card; Sports Illustrated slightly leaned toward Nathaniel Wood to overcome Delgado's height/reach advantage and noted a Wood win would hand Delgado his first UFC loss. https://si.com/
- At the official weigh-ins Jose Miguel Delgado missed the featherweight limit (weighed 147 lb), so the fight proceeded at a 147 lb catchweight and Delgado was fined 20% of his purse (to be paid to Wood). https://mmamania.com/
- Betting-line movement showed the public favoring Delgado (the line flipped from a pick'em: Wood opened -115 then moved to +121 while Delgado moved toward -147), marking a notable market shift entering the fight. https://mmamania.com/
- Pre-fight bout details: listed as a 147 lb prelim (Bout #4) scheduled for 3x5 minutes; Wood (nicknamed "The Prospect") was listed at 5'6" with a 69" reach and a 22-6 record; Delgado listed at 5'11" with a 74" reach and a 10-2 record; one published set of odds showed Wood -155 vs Delgado +130 and the official weights reported Wood 146.0, Delgado 147.0. https://tapology.com/
Valter Walker vs Louie Sutherland
- Bout was scheduled for the UFC 321 preliminary card in Abu Dhabi (Etihad Arena). Sports Illustrated
- Valter Walker entered the fight on a streak of submission finishes, including multiple consecutive heel-hook wins; he was billed as "The Clean Monster." MMA Mania
- Walker was widely viewed as a heavy favorite with an uncertain ceiling/highest potential in the heavyweight division (pick to win in previews). Sports Illustrated
- Louie Sutherland was listed as a 10-4 Scottish fighter nicknamed "The Vanilla Gorilla." Tapology
- Some outlets described Sutherland as a PFL veteran prior to the bout. MMA Mania
- Weigh-ins and odds listed Walker at 244.0 lbs vs. Sutherland 264.5 lbs, Walker a heavy betting favorite (around -405) with Sutherland a moderate underdog (+320); heights/reaches were published on the event card. Tapology
Ludovit Klein vs Mateusz Rebecki
- All-European lightweight clash — Sports Illustrated predicted Ludovit Klein would likely get his hand raised, called the bout deserving more attention and expected it to be one of the more entertaining UFC 321 prelim fights. https://si.com/
- Betting-line movement showed the public flipped the matchup: Klein opened +130 and was bet down to -136 while Rebecki opened -150 and moved to +111, reflecting heavy market action. https://mmamania.com/
- Both men came in off recent losses — Rebecki suffered a damaging TKO loss to Diego Ferreira and took significant damage in subsequent bouts; Klein had been dominated by Mateusz Gamrot but was not badly hurt in that loss. https://mmamania.com/
- Bout details listed as a lightweight (155 lb) three-round fight: Ludovit Klein (24-5-1) vs. Mateusz Rębecki (20-4); weigh-ins showed Klein 156.0 lbs and Rębecki 155.5 lbs; listed physicals and nicknames included Klein “Mr. Highlight” (5'7", 72.5" reach) and Rębecki “Rebeasti” (5'7", 66.0" reach). https://tapology.com/
Quillan Salkilld vs Nasrat Haqparast
- Late addition to UFC 321, the Salkilld–Haqparast bout was slotted on the preliminary card for the Oct. 25, 2025 event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. https://mmamania.com/
- Quillan Salkilld entered as a once‑beaten Australian with limited UFC experience (about one year, three Octagon fights after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in late 2024) and had already earned attention for two prior first‑round knockout Performance bonuses; some outlets cautioned rapid Top‑15 ambitions were premature. https://mmamania.com/
- Bout details on the official card: lightweight (155 lb) prelim bout #8, scheduled 3×5 minutes; listed records Quillan 10‑1 and Nasrat 18‑6, Quillan weighed 155.5 lb vs. Nasrat 156.0 lb, listed heights/reaches and betting line Quillan −120/Nasrat +100. https://tapology.com/
- Pre‑fight media sentiment included predictions that slightly leaned toward Salkilld extending his hot run in the UFC (pick: Salkilld). https://si.com/
During Fight Narratives
Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida
- The fight went the distance and Alexander Volkov won a split decision over Jailton Almeida (judges' scores commonly reported as 29-28, 29-28, 28-29), official result recorded as a split decision after three rounds. https://www.espn.com/mma/
- The bout was grappling-heavy: Almeida repeatedly secured takedowns and spent long stretches in top control, forcing most of the action to the canvas rather than on the feet. https://mmafighting.com/
- ESPN and other reports noted Almeida completed multiple takedowns (Espn reported seven) and controlled Volkov on the mat for extended periods, validating pre-fight expectations about Almeida's wrestling output. https://www.espn.com/mma/
- While mostly on his back, Volkov managed to land short punches and elbows from bottom and did enough damage/activity from those positions to sway the judges in a close, low-action contest. https://mmafighting.com/
- The fight lacked a clear finish or striking fireworks — described as anything but a barnburner — and was ultimately decided on the scorecards after three five-minute rounds. https://en.wikipedia.org/
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Mario Bautista
- Nurmagomedov won via unanimous decision after three rounds (scores 30-27 x3). espn.com
- The contest was dominated by Nurmagomedov's grappling: he amassed 11 takedowns over the full 15 minutes and controlled much of the bout on the mat. mmamania.com
- Bautista momentarily threatened an upset in Round 2 when he landed a massive knee that briefly put Nurmagomedov down, but Umar recovered and continued to control the fight. mmamania.com
- Nurmagomedov also outlanded Bautista on strikes (coverage noted roughly a ~60% connect rate) while repeatedly returning the fight to his wrestling gameplan. espn.com
- The bout went the distance — three full rounds — and was listed on official cards and databases as a 3-round unanimous decision victory for Nurmagomedov. wikipedia.org
Ikram Aliskerov vs Jun Yong Park
- Ikram Aliskerov defeated Jun Yong Park via unanimous decision; official judges' scores were 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. https://mmafighting.com/
- The bout went the distance — full three rounds (15:00) with the final bell at 5:00 of round 3; it was contested at middleweight on the preliminary card. https://www.espn.com/mma/
Mitch Raposo vs Azat Maksum
- The fight went the distance and Mitch Raposo defeated Azat Maksum by unanimous decision after three rounds. mmafighting.com
- Official judge scores reported for the decision were 30-26, 29-27, and 29-27 in favor of Raposo (various outlets echoed the 30-26, 29-27 x2 line). sports.yahoo.com
- A point was deducted from Maksum in round three for grabbing the fence; the bout ended at the 3x5:00 mark at the agreed 129-lb catchweight. wikipedia.org
Mizuki Inoue vs Jaqueline Amorim
- Mizuki Inoue defeated Jaqueline Amorim by unanimous decision after three rounds (judges' scores 30-27, 30-27, 29-28). https://sports.yahoo.com/
- The bout was contested at women's strawweight on the preliminary card and went the full three-round distance. https://wikipedia.org/
Nathaniel Wood vs Jose Delgado
- Nathaniel Wood defeated Jose Miguel Delgado via unanimous decision after three rounds; judges scored the bout 29-28 across the board and the fight ended at 5:00 of round 3. https://www.espn.com/mma/
- The contest was held at a 147 lb catchweight because Delgado missed weight, and the fight went the distance (full three rounds) before the unanimous decision was rendered. https://en.wikipedia.org/
- Multiple fight reports (MMA Fighting, Yahoo Sports, Tapology) recorded the unanimous-decision result and official scorecards but offered little or no round-by-round descriptive action in their post-fight write-ups. https://mmafighting.com/
Valter Walker vs Louie Sutherland
- Valter Walker defeated Louie Sutherland via heel-hook submission at 1:24 of Round 1 on the UFC 321 preliminary card. MMA Fighting
- Walker locked a heel-hook and forced a tap less than 90 seconds into the opening frame (official finish: Submission, R1, 1:24). ESPN
- During the opening frame Walker suffered a broken leg (snapped fibula) after Sutherland landed a leg kick, yet Walker still secured the heel-hook and the tap. MMA Mania
- The finish was Walker's signature heel-hook and continued his string of first-round heel-hook submissions at this stage of his UFC run. MMA Fighting
Ludovit Klein vs Mateusz Rebecki
- Ludovit Klein defeated Mateusz Rębecki by majority decision after three rounds — official judges' scores 29-28, 28-27, 28-28; decision recorded at 5:00 of Round 3. https://www.espn.com/mma/
- The result was widely reported across outlets as Klein winning a competitive prelim bout on the UFC 321 card via majority decision. https://mmafighting.com/
- Bout listed on the UFC 321 prelims (event page) and went the full scheduled distance of three five-minute rounds, confirming a judges' decision finish. https://tapology.com/
Quillan Salkilld vs Nasrat Haqparast
- On the UFC 321 prelims, Quillan Salkilld finished Nasrat Haqparast via head‑kick knockout at 2:30 of Round 1 (official result: KO/TKO, R1, 2:30). https://tapology.com/
- The finish was a brutal head kick — Salkilld loaded up and launched a kick that landed off the side of Haqparast’s head and left him unconscious before hitting the canvas. https://mmafighting.com/
- The knockout was widely described as terrifying and quickly went viral online (the clip was characterized in some coverage as a "snuff film"‑style highlight because of how sudden and violent the KO appeared). https://mmamania.com/
- The bout occurred on the UFC 321 preliminary card (Aspinall vs. Gane event) and immediately updated the fighters' records on the card: Salkilld to 10‑1, Haqparast to 18‑6. https://tapology.com/
Post-Fight Narratives
Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida
- The performance was widely viewed as unimpressive despite the win; analysts questioned whether Volkov did enough to be considered a legitimate next challenger and where he fits in the heavyweight pecking order. https://www.espn.com/mma/
- With the split-decision victory Volkov's record was listed at about 39-11 and Almeida's at about 22-4 after the bout, official records updated by event trackers. https://tapology.com/
- Practical implications: Volkov may still have to wait for a title shot if the promotion rebooks the previously scheduled contenders (e.g., Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane), leaving his path to the belt uncertain despite the win. https://si.com/
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Mario Bautista
- The win reinserted Nurmagomedov into bantamweight title contention and renewed discussion of a potential rematch or matchup with champion Merab Dvalishvili. mmamania.com
- While satisfied with the result, Nurmagomedov admitted the performance wasn't completely to his standards despite the decisive scorecards. mmamania.com
- Coverage noted there were no notable post-fight callouts or quotes from Bautista in the immediate reports. mmamania.com
- Wider media takeaways highlighted Nurmagomedov as one of the event's winners — his stock and ranking improved after the dominant wrestling display. mmafighting.com
Ikram Aliskerov vs Jun Yong Park
- Official result listed as Final U Dec R3, 5:00 with judges' scores 30-27 x3; result pages list Aliskerov and Park nationalities as Russia and Korea respectively and record listings around Aliskerov 17-2-0 and Park 19-7-0. https://www.espn.com/mma/
- Event result pages and live updates (Tapology/Wikipedia) confirmed the unanimous decision on the prelim card and that the fight completed the scheduled three rounds with no alternate or overturned result. https://en.wikipedia.org/
Mitch Raposo vs Azat Maksum
- Raposo's unanimous-decisions win snapped his losing streak and handed Maksum a clear defeat despite pre-fight expectations favoring Maksum. mmafighting.com
- As a result of missing weight, Maksum was fined 30% of his purse and that amount was awarded to Mitch Raposo. wikipedia.org
Mizuki Inoue vs Jaqueline Amorim
- Per ESPN's official fight listings, the result updated the fighters' records to Mizuki Inoue 16-6-0 and Jaqueline Amorim 10-2-0; ESPN also shows the judges' scorecards for the bout. https://espn.com/
- The outcome went against many pre-fight predictions that had leaned toward Amorim, meaning Inoue's return win served as a successful comeback after the layoff. https://mmafighting.com/
Nathaniel Wood vs Jose Delgado
- After the event Nathaniel Wood returned the 20% of Jose Delgado's purse that he had received for Delgado's weight miss, saying his opponent "earned his money." https://mmamania.com/
- The loss registered as Delgado's first UFC defeat while Wood's record is shown as 22-6 (Delgado 10-2) in event result listings. https://tapology.com/
- Reports reiterated that Delgado's initial 20% purse fine was assessed because of the weight miss and was paid to Wood at the time of the fight before Wood later returned the money. https://en.wikipedia.org/
Valter Walker vs Louie Sutherland
- Walker extended a streak/historic mark: four consecutive heel-hook finishes and the first heavyweight with four straight submission wins in UFC reporting. MMA Mania
- Walker won despite suffering a snapped fibula in the fight. MMA Mania
- Walker received a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for the finish. Wikipedia
- Reports contained no notable winner/loser quotes or explicit next-step callouts following the bout. MMA Mania
Ludovit Klein vs Mateusz Rebecki
- Klein vs. Rębecki was awarded Fight of the Night; both fighters received $50,000 bonuses. https://en.wikipedia.org/
- Result updated records: Ludovit Klein credited with the win (listed as up to 24-5-1) and Mateusz Rębecki listed as 20-4 following the majority-decision loss. https://tapology.com/
Quillan Salkilld vs Nasrat Haqparast
- Salkilld was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus for the finish (reported $50,000). https://wikipedia.org/
- The violent KO put Salkilld in consideration for Knockout of the Year and dramatically raised his profile across media and fans. https://mmafighting.com/
- Salkilld and his team hoped to parlay the viral finish into bigger matchups and a Top‑15 callout, though some commentators warned it would be premature for him to challenge established lightweights such as Renato "Moicano" Carneiro after roughly a year in the UFC. https://mmamania.com/
- Several reports noted there were no extended post‑fight quotes, callouts or lengthy reactions included in immediate coverage following the bout. https://wikipedia.org/
| Fighter | VS | Fighter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | |||
| VS |
15-3-0-0
—
P4P #9
HW Champ
|
||
| VS |
22-3-0-0
x
P4P #9
|
||
| VS |
22-3-0-0
x
HW #5
|
||
✓
19-1-0-0
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
16-2-0-0
x
BW #9
|
|
| VS |
14-5-0-0
x
LHW #7
|
||
| Prelims | |||
|
✓
6-1-0-1
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
25-10-0-0
x
|
|
✓
16-2-0-0
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
20-7-0-0
x
|
|
|
✓
10-3-0-0
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
17-2-0-0
x
|
|
|
✓
15-6-0-0
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
10-1-0-0
x
|
|
✓
23-6-0-0
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
10-1-0-0
x
|
|
| VS |
4-3-0-0
x
|
||
✓
23-5-1-0
dec
R3
5:00
|
VS |
20-3-0-0
x
|
|
✓
9-1-0-0
ko
R1
2:30
|
VS |
18-5-0-0
x
|
|
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