UFC 321 takes place tomorrow at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Fans will witness two title fights and several key matchups. The official weigh-ins revealed two fighters missed weight, adding tension ahead of the card.
Heavyweight Showdown: Aspinall Defends Title Against Gane
Tom Aspinall faces Ciryl Gane to defend his undisputed heavyweight championship. Aspinall won the interim title by finishing Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. He then knocked out Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 to retain it. Following Jon Jones’ brief retirement, the UFC promoted Aspinall to undisputed champion.
Gane earned this title fight after a controversial decision over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310. Both fighters aim to prove supremacy in the heavyweight division in what promises to be a high-stakes clash.
Strawweight Rematch: Jandiroba Seeks Redemption Against Dern
Virna Jandiroba challenges Mackenzie Dern for the women’s strawweight championship. The two previously fought at UFC 256 in December 2020, with Dern winning by decision.
Jandiroba has won five straight bouts, claiming six victories in seven fights since that loss. Dern enters with two consecutive wins and three victories in her last five appearances. The rematch carries high stakes, as both fighters aim to secure the strawweight crown.
Weigh-In Results: Delgado and Maksum Miss Weight
The official weigh-ins saw two fighters miss weight. Jose Miguel Delgado weighed 147 pounds for a featherweight fight. Azat Maksum tipped the scales at 129 pounds for a flyweight bout. Maksum faces a 30 percent purse fine, while Delgado’s penalty is still pending.
Other main card fighters made weight successfully:
- Heavyweight: Aspinall 255 vs. Gane 247.5
- Strawweight: Jandiroba 115 vs. Dern 115
- Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov 136 vs. Mario Bautista 135.5
- Heavyweight: Alexander Volkov 261.5 vs. Jailton Almeida 237
- Light Heavyweight: Aleksandar Rakic 205 vs. Azamat Murzakanov 205.5
Preliminary Card: Fighters Make Weight for Key Bouts
Several preliminary card fighters made weight without issues:
- Lightweight: Nasrat Haqparast 156 vs. Quillan Salkilld 155.5
- Middleweight: Ikram Aliskerov 185.5 vs. JunYong Park 185.5
- Lightweight: L’udovit Klein 156 vs. Mateusz Rebecki 155.5
- Heavyweight: Valter Walker 244 vs. Louie Sutherland 264.5
Early Prelims: Missed Weight Could Affect Purses and Fight Plans
The early preliminary card featured two weight misses. Other matchups included:
- Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood 146 vs. Delgado 147*
- Heavyweight: Hamdy Abdelwahab 265 vs. Chris Barnett 261
- Flyweight: Maksum 129** vs. Mitch Raposo 125.5
- Strawweight: Jaqueline Amorim 116 vs. Mizuki 115
The missed weights could impact fight dynamics and payouts, adding drama before the main card begins.
UFC 321 starts with early preliminaries at 10 AM ET/7 AM PT. The main card kicks off at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT. Fans can follow weigh-in coverage and live results throughout the event.
