Britain’s Leon Edwards will attempt to end a two-fight losing streak at UFC 322 when he comes up against Brazil’s Carlos Prates. Also on the New York City card is a welterweight title clash as Jack Della Maddalena takes on former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi will also see a straw-weight title fight between Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern.
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Leon Edwards will return to action at UFC 322 in New York City, while Jack Della Maddalena will defend his welterweight belt against Islam Makhachev.
Briton Leon Edwards, 34, defeated Kamaru Usman in 2022 at UFC 278 to become welterweight champion, successfully defending the belt twice before he lost to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 last year.
He followed that defeat up with another loss to Sean Brady at UFC Fight Night in London in March this year, the first time he has had back-to-back defeats in his career.
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Edwards will take on Brazil’s Carlos Prates on the forthcoming card. Prates, 32, defeated Geoff Neal with a stunning spinning back elbow knockout at UFC 29 in August two weeks ago, and he is ranked No. 9 in the welterweight division. Edwards is ranked No. 4.
Muhammad has since lost his belt to Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May this year, heralding the long-anticipated move up to welterweight by Makhachev.
Makhachev won the lightweight strap in October 2022 against Charles Oliveira, and his victory in January this year against Renato Moicano set a record for the most consecutive title defences in the division. He vacated the belt in June 2025 ahead of his move up to the welterweight class.
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Della Maddalena against Makhachev represents a meeting of two grappling experts for the title clash.
UFC 321 is headed by Tom Aspinall’s first fight as heavyweight champion, against experienced fighter Ciryl Gane.
Aspinall had long been looking to take on Jon Jones when the American was the heavyweight champion, but amid speculation the bout would finally be made, Bones retired in June this year.
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Frenchman Gane, 35, has won both of his last two fights, the most recent in December 2024 at UFC 310 against Alexander Volkov, and before then, against Serghei Spivac in September 2023.
His own match with Jones, in March 2023 at UFC 285, saw Jones win with a guillotine choke submission.
Also on the card is a fight for the vacant straw-weight title, with Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern battling to become the new champion.
Aljamain Sterling, meanwhile, will have to wait for another event after he put himself forward for a title clash with featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
UFC 321 takes place on October 25 in Abu Dhabi, while New York City hosts UFC 322 on November 15.