UFC 321 full card final faceoffs at ceremonial weigh-ins
UFC 321 ceremonial weigh-in faceoffs are complete with the 13-fight card having final staredowns
Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista meet on the main card of UFC 321 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 3-3
UFC main cards, 2025: 101-76-1
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista UFC 321 preview
Nurmagomedov (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) fights for the first time since a title challenge loss against Merab Dvalishvili in January. Although he took home a Fight of the Night bonus, the real goal was the title, which he aims to get back on track for when he faces Bautista (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC). After defeating former champ Jose Aldo by split decision last year, Bautista defeated Patchy Mix in June. A win here would extend his streak to nine and put his name in title contention.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista UFC 321 expert pick, prediction
Filling out the main card for UFC 321 is a battle between top-ranked bantamweights, Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista.
Outside of wishing this fight were five rounds for my own selfish reasons of entertainment, I suspect that extra rounds would also be useful for the Bautista side of this equation.
Nurmagomedov, who hails from the legendary Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov stable of fighters, shows very few weaknesses from a technical perspective. However, Nurmagomedov has shown to tire a bit in extended fights, which remains something worth keeping an eye on as his career progresses.
Still, I don’t think I can pick against Nurmagomedov here.
Although Bautista probably deserves a lot more love than he gets, I’m not sure I’m sold on the depth of this game, particularly if he can’t fully dictate the wrestling in fights. For that reason, I’ll pick Nurmagomedov to win a competitive but clear unanimous decision on the scorecards.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista UFC 321 odds
The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the Dagestani fighter, listing Nurmagomedov -650 and Bautista +440 via FanDuel.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista UFC 321 start time, how to watch
Nurmagomedov and Bautista are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 3:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
