UFC 311
{{Short description|2025 mixed martial arts event}}
{{Infobox MMA event
|name= UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Moicano
|image= UFC 311 poster.jpg
|promotion= Ultimate Fighting Championship
|date= {{start date|2025|1|18}}
|venue= Intuit Dome
|city= Inglewood, California, United States
|previousevent= UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Ribas 2
|followingevent= UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov
}}
UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Moicano was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 18, 2025, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, United States.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-announces-2025-schedule-new-events-location-dates|title=UFC announces 2025 schedule including slew of new events|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Nolan King|date=2024-11-16|access-date=2024-11-17}}
Background
File:Intuit Dome Façade.jpg area, this was the promotion's debut at Intuit Dome, which opened in August 2024.]]
The event marked the promotion's third visit to Inglewood and first since UFC 232 in December 2018. There were concerns regarding the realization of this event due to the series of recent wildfires affecting Southern California, but the venue's organization assured a week before that it would continue as scheduled.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2025/01/ufc-311-continue-as-scheduled-amid-los-angeles-wildfires-intuit-dome|title=Intuit Dome announces UFC 311 will 'continue as scheduled' amid Los Angeles wildfires|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Mike Bohn|date=2025-01-11|access-date=2025-01-11}}
A UFC Lightweight Championship bout between current champion Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan was originally scheduled to headline the event.{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ufc-311-main-event-pits-092448436.html|title=UFC 311 main event pits Islam Makhachev against Arman Tsarukyan – with bonus title fight also official|publisher=sports.yahoo.com|author=Alex Pattle|date=2024-12-05|access-date=2024-12-11}} They previously met at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik in April 2019, where Makhachev defeated Tsarukyan by unanimous decision.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2024/12/04/ufc-311-dana-white-announces-2-huge-championship-fights-for-la-card/|title=UFC 311: Dana White Announces 2 Huge Championship Fights For L.A. Card|work=forbes.com|author=Brian Mazique|date=2024-12-04|access-date=2024-12-11}} One day before the event, it was reported that Tsarukyan suffered an injury that forced him to pull out of the fight. Renato Moicano, who was originally set to face Beneil Dariush at the same event, stepped in as a replacement for Tsarukyan, and Dariush did not compete at this event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/1/17/24346063/arman-tsarukyan-out-of-ufc-311-main-event-with-islam-makahchev|title=Arman Tsarukyan out of UFC 311 main event with Islam Makahchev|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Mike Heck|date=2025-01-17|access-date=2025-01-17}}
A UFC Bantamweight Championship bout between current champion Merab Dvalishvili and undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov served as the co-main event.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2024/12/ufc-311-news-merab-dvalishvili-vs-umar-nurmagomedov-announced-as-co-main-title-fight|title=UFC 311 news: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov announced as co-main title fight|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Matthew Wells|date=2024-12-04|access-date=2024-12-04}}
A bantamweight bout between The Return of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Volkanovski vs. Team Ortega bantamweight winner Ricky Turcios and Bernardo Sopaj was expected to take place at UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates in November 2024, but it was scrapped after the weigh-ins due to undisclosed medical issues related to Turcios.{{Cite web|date=2024-11-08|title=UFC Fight Night 247 loses another co-main event one day out|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2024/11/ufc-fight-night-247-ricky-turcios-vs-bernardo-sopaj-canceled-weigh-ins|access-date=2024-11-08|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Staff}} The pairing was rescheduled to take place at this event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2024/11/19/24300864/ricky-turcios-vs-bernardo-sopai-rescheduled-for-ufc-311|title=Ricky Turcios vs. Bernardo Sopai rescheduled for UFC 311|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Damon Martin|date=2024-11-19|access-date=2024-11-19}}
Grant Dawson and Carlos Diego Ferreira are scheduled to compete in a lightweight bout at the event.{{Cite web|publisher=sherdog.com|author=Jay Pettry|title=Grant Dawson to collide with Diego Ferreira at UFC 311 in California on Jan. 18|url=https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Grant-Dawson-to-Collide-With-Diego-Ferreira-at-UFC-311-in-California-on-Jan-18-195530/amp|date=2024-11-21|access-date=2024-11-21}} They were once expected to meet at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker in October 2021, but Ferreira pulled out due to injury.{{Cite web|date=2021-09-08|author=Matthew Wells|title=Diego Ferreira injured, out of Oct. 2 bout against Grant Dawson|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/09/ufc-news-diego-ferriera-out-of-oct-2-bout-against-grant-dawson-due-to-injury|access-date=2021-09-08|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com}}
A light heavyweight bout between Johnny Walker and Bogdan Guskov was scheduled for this event.{{Cite web|title=Coming off two consecutive defeats, Johnny Walker will face a UFC prospect|url=https://www.superlutas.com.br/noticias/290741/johnny-walker-promessa-ufc/|date=2024-10-11|access-date=2024-10-12|publisher=superlutas.com.br|author=Luís Antonio Cardoso}} {{in lang|pt-br}} However, Walker withdrew from the fight due to an injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Billy Elekana.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/1/11/24341326/bad-injury-johnny-walker-out-ufc-311-devastated-bogdan-guskov|title='Bad injury' forces Johnny Walker out of UFC 311: 'I'm devastated'|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Guilherme Cruz|date=2025-01-11|access-date=2025-01-11}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmamania.com/2025/1/11/24341735/ufc-311-fight-card-shake-up-billy-elekana-accepts-bogdan-guskov-one-week-notice-johnny-walker-hurt|title=UFC 311 fight card shake up: Octagon newcomer accepts Bogdan Guskov fight on one-week notice with Johnny Walker hurt|publisher=mmamania.com|author=Alexander Behunin|date=2025-01-11|access-date=2025-01-11}}
Zachary Reese and Sedriques Dumas were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at the preliminary card. However, Dumas pulled out during fight week and was replaced by the current LFA Middleweight Champion Azamat Bekoev.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2025/01/ufc-311-lfa-champion-replacement-fight-azamat-bekoev|title=LFA champion gets late UFC 311 opportunity as replacement fighter|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Nolan King|date=2025-01-13|access-date=2025-01-13}}
During the event's broadcast, executive producer and one of The Ultimate Fighter creators Craig Piligian was announced as the next "contributor wing" UFC Hall of Fame inductee during International Fight Week festivities in Las Vegas this summer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ufc.com/news/craig-piligian-named-2025-ufc-hall-fame-class|title=Craig Piligian named to 2025 UFC Hall of Fame class|publisher=ufc.com|author=UFC Staff|date=2025-01-18|access-date=2025-01-18}}
Results
{{MMAevent}}
{{MMAevent card|Main card}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|Islam Makhachev (c)
|def.
|Submission (brabo choke)
|1
|4:05
|For the UFC Lightweight Championship.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|Merab Dvalishvili (c)
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46)
|5
|5:00
|For the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|TKO (punches)
|3
|3:01
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Heavyweight
|def.
|TKO (punches)
|1
|4:53
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|def.
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|1
|3:31
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary card (ESPNews / FX / Disney+ / ESPN+)|header=no}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–26)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Middleweight
|Azamat Bekoev
|def.
|Zachary Reese
|KO (punches)
|1
|3:04
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|Billy Elekana
|Submission (guillotine choke)
|2
|3:33
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Early preliminary card (FX / Disney+ / ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)|header=no}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Bantamweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|Muin Gafurov
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|Bernardo Sopaj
|def.
|Ricky Turcios
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Flyweight
|def.
|Clayton Carpenter
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}
Bonus awards
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmamania.com/2025/1/19/24346697/bonuses-ufc-311-results-espn-ppv-los-angeles-makhachev-moicano-prochazka-almeida-merab-umar|title=Bonuses! Jiri Prochazka's wild TKO over 'Sweet Dreams' leads $50K winners - UFC 311|publisher=mmamania.com|author=Dan Hiergesell|date=2025-01-18|access-date=2025-01-18}}
- Fight of the Night: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
- Performance of the Night: Jiří Procházka and Jailton Almeida
Reported payout
The following is the reported payout to the fighters as reported to the California State Athletic Commission. It is important to note the amounts do not include sponsor money, discretionary bonuses, viewership points or additional earnings.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-19 |title=UFC 311 salaries: Merab Dvalishvili leads 12 fighters with disclosed six-figure payouts
|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2025/01/ufc-311-salaries-merab-dvalishvili-islam-makhachev-disclosed-purses |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=MMA Junkie |language=en-US}}
- Islam Makhachev: $200,000 (no win bonus) def. Renato Moicano: $250,000
- Merab Dvalishvili: $500,000 (no win bonus) def. Umar Nurmagomedov: $100,000
- Jiří Procházka: $250,000 (includes $50,000 win bonus) def. Jamahal Hill: $200,000
- Jailton Almeida: $220,000 (includes $110,000 win bonus) def. Serghei Spivac: $100,000
- Reinier de Ridder: $210,000 (includes $105,000 win bonus) def. Kevin Holland: $250,000
- Raoni Barcelos: $96,000 (includes $48,000 win bonus) def. Payton Talbott: $43,000
- Azamat Bekoev: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Zachary Reese: $30,000
- Bogdan Guskov: $86,000 (includes $43,000 win bonus) def. Billy Elekana: $12,000
- Grant Dawson: $212,000 (includes $106,000 win bonus) def. Carlos Diego Ferreira: $100,000
- Ailín Pérez: $72,000 (includes $36,000 win bonus) def. Karol Rosa: $75,000
- Muin Gafurov: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. Rinya Nakamura: $28,000
- Bernardo Sopaj: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Ricky Turcios: $28,000
- Tagir Ulanbekov: $72,000 (includes $36,000 win bonus) def. Clayton Carpenter: $28,000
Fight night weights
The following is the official weigh-in weights compared to the fight night weights reported by the California State Athletic Commission.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-21 |title=UFC 311 fight night weights: Renato Moicano gained over 26 pounds to outweigh Islam Makhachev
|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/1/21/24348786/ufc-311-fight-night-weights-renato-moicano-gained-over-26-pounds-to-outweigh-islam-makhachev |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=MMA Fighting |language=en-US}}
- Islam Makhachev: 154.5 to 178 pounds (23.5 pounds), 17%
- Renato Moicano: 155 to 181.8 pounds (26.8 pounds), 17%
- Merab Dvalishvili: 134 to 156.8 pounds (22.8 pounds), 17%
- Umar Nurmagomedov: 135 to 156.8 pounds (21.8 pounds), 16%
- Jiří Procházka: 204.5 to 208.2 pounds (3.7 pounds), 2%
- Jamahal Hill: 205.5 to 221.8 pounds (16.3 pounds), 8%
- Reinier de Ridder: 184.5 to 212 pounds (27.5 pounds), 15%
- Kevin Holland: 183.5 to 190.4 pounds (6.9 pounds), 4%
- Raoni Barcelos: 135.5 to 158.2 pounds (22.7 pounds), 17%
- Payton Talbott: 135.5 to 158.2 pounds (22.7 pounds), 17%
- Jailton Almeida: 235 to 232.2 pounds (-2.8 pounds), -1%
- Serghei Spivac: 233 to 234.2 pounds (1.2 pounds), 1%
- Bogdan Guskov: 205.5 to 214.4 pounds (8.9 pounds), 4%
- Billy Elekana: 200 to 202.4 pounds (2.4 pounds), 1%
- Grant Dawson: 156 to 179.4 pounds (23.4 pounds), 15%
- Diego Ferreira: 156 to 173.2 pounds (17.2 pounds), 11%
- Azamat Bekoev: 185.5 to 203.2 pounds (17.7 pounds), 10%
- Zachary Reese: 185.5 to 201 pounds (15.5 pounds), 8%
- Ailin Perez: 135 to 152.2 pounds (17.2 pounds), 13%
- Karol Rosa: 135.5 to 154 pounds (18.5 pounds), 14%
- Muin Gafurov: 136 to 151.8 pounds (15.8 pounds), 12%
- Rinya Nakamura: 135.5 to 148.6 pounds (13.1 pounds), 10%
- Bernardo Sopaj: 135 to 147.8 pounds (12.8 pounds), 9%
- Ricky Turcios: 136 to 156.6 pounds (20.6 pounds), 15%
- Tagir Ulanbekov: 125.5 to 147.4 pounds (21.9 pounds), 17%
- Clayton Carpenter: 125.5 to 141.2 pounds (15.7 pounds), 13%
Attendance
Although the event was announced as a sellout, there were a noticeable amount of empty seats in the arena. This was attributed to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires and Tsarukyan dropping out of the main event.{{Cite web |last=Harkness |first=Ryan |date=2025-01-19 |title=Half empty or complete sell out? Shots of UFC 311 leave fans confused |url=https://www.mmamania.com/2025/1/19/24347072/half-empty-or-complete-sell-out-shots-of-ufc-311-leave-fans-confused |access-date=2025-02-21 |website=MMAmania.com |language=en}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{UFC Events}}
{{2025 in mixed martial arts}}
Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship flagship events
Category:Events in Inglewood, California
Category:Mixed martial arts in California
Category:Mixed martial arts events in Los Angeles