UFC 322: 3 Sharp Plays for Fight Night

UFC 322 goes on November 15th, with New York’s Madison Square Garden as the site of an intriguing program. It’s the welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2-0) opposing Islam Makhachev (27-1-0), in the marquee match of what many fans and observers have labeled the best card in UFC’s history.

There are more welterweights on display, including Sean Brady (18-1-0) opposing Michael Morales (18-0-0), along with Leon Edwards (22-5-0, 1NC) versus Carlos Prates (22-7-0). 

…and lest we forget the women, with a co-main flyweight event featuring current (and previous) champ Valentina Shevchenko (25-4-1) drawing Weili Zhang 26-3-0).  

These UFC fights also come with good opportunities on the board, which will be explored in this story. The five-round (scheduled) Della Maddalena-Makhachev bout has the latter as a current 2-5 (-250) favorite, the former at +206 (as of this writing)

Looking at those other pairings, Brady is -125 over Morales (+105), Prates is 5-9 (-180) against the 3-2 (+150) Edwards, and Zhang is the tepid -115 choice against the -105 Shevchenko (board is fluid, of course).     

Here’s a bit of a primer on UFC 322, along with some UFC picks and predictions to consider…    

Where is UFC 322 Going to Be?

It’s neither the Knickerbockers nor the Rangers taking over New York’s Madison Square Garden on November 15th. UFC 322 invades midtown Manhattan, with the main card scheduled at 10 PM ET as a pay-per-view event (prelims to begin at 8 PM ET). UFC events provide a number of options on which (whom) to wager, and UFC 322 is no different. 

Fans who are interested in attending can buy UFC tickets through the UFC website, other ticket sources, or the site’s box office.

Who is Fighting in UFC 322?

UFC events provide many ways to (hopefully) make some money, and UFC 322 is no different. Headlining is the aforementioned welterweight affair between champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2-0) and former lightweight champ Islam Makhachev (27-1-0). UFC news has included much speculation ahead of this bout. As a point of reference, the UFC welterweights are 20 pounds heavier (weight limits of 155 and 135) than the UFC lightweights.   

Della Maddalena became welterweight champ with a unanimous-decision victory over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in Montreal this past May. What is making this bout so anticipated is the 15-bout winning streak of Makhachev, who’s lost just once (to Adriano Martins) back in UFC 192 a decade ago. He has owned the lightweight class seemingly forever. 

Since the November 15th card is a week-and-a-half away (as of this writing) on the UFC schedule, there’s no prop market on which to refer (check back in a day or so).

Perusing the ‘regular’ odds board, we’re avoiding Della Maddelena-Makhachev and going with a favorite in Sean Brady (-125) with a pair of underdogs in Leon Edwards (3-2 [+150]) and Valentina Shevchenko (-105).

Who is No. 1 in the UFC Now?

This is quite a subjective question, with the loyalties of the fans, bettors, and other observers obviously divided. There’s a case to be made that the UFC 322 headliners, Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev, are as popular as anyone right now. 

Both fighters are always prominently mentioned if the subject is UFC odds.

How Did Oliveira Lose to Makhachev?

It was at UFC 280 October, 2022, when Charles Oliveira and Makhachev headlined the card in the United Arab Emirates. Makhachev ‘submitted’ Oliveira at 3:16 of the second round.  

Any Final Thoughts?

If you’re looking down the road, UFC 323 is December 6th in Las Vegas, with UFC 324 tentatively scheduled to go early January 2026, in Los Angeles. There is value to be found in wagering on UFC fights; the bettor has to know where to look. In some bouts, fighters may be getting more respect than they deserve based on past reputation, so don’t be afraid to take a shot with a selected ‘dogs at a price.