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UFC 311 Preview And Predictions

UFC 311 Preview Bets
It is time to preview and predict the UFC 311 main card. The card is the first pay-per-view of the new year. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

UFC 311 Preview And Predictions

The first UFC pay-per-view event of 2025 is finally here. UFC 311 will go down at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The card did not come together without some stress, however. The main event featured a pull-out that forced the entire card to shuffle. Still, it is a great card with two title fights and multiple great matchups. 

Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the main card. You can find our 2025 prediction records below. 

James: 4-2

Garrett: 2-4

Anthony: 3-3

Jerry: 3-3

Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder- Middleweight Bout 

James: The UFC 311 main card opens with a middleweight bout between Kevin Holland and Reinider de Ridder. This bout is a big opportunity for de Ridder. The former ONE Championship double champion is looking to make a statement in the UFC quickly. In his first fight with the promotion, he picked up a submission victory over Gerald Meerschaert. Now, he has a chance to get a win on a pay-per-view against an established opponent. Holland has a wealth of UFC experience and holds a 13-9 record. This fight will tell where de Ridder sits in the middleweight landscape. 

Holland consistently fights multiple times a year and almost always brings the same strengths and weaknesses into the octagon. This begins with his six-foot-three frame and 81-inch reach. That allows him to land straight shots and attack with kicks. On the interior, he can use hooks to land knockouts. That length also helps him land front chokes. That is the only real highlight of his grappling, however. Otherwise, he struggles to defend takedowns and gets held down. 

de Ridder is a BJJ specialist. This is supplemented with a solid wrestling game that helps him get to the top position. In MMA, that is the best way to hunt submissions. It is much less risky to work for submissions from the top. It allows him to win rounds and work toward finishes without taking as many risks. 

The UFC 311 main card opener is a tough fight to preview. It is easy to understand how both fighters can lose. Holland is capable of landing massive shots and finishing the fight. de Ridder is not mobile and can be hit. Meanwhile, de Ridder is capable of landing three takedowns and winning the fight. Ultimately, I lean toward Holland because he is capable of landing a knockout shot. I will take Holland by first-round knockout

Garrett: de Ridder via submission

Jerry: Holland via KO/TKO

Anthony: Holland via KO/TKO

No. 6 Jailton Almeida vs. No. 7 Serghei Spivac- Heavyweight Bout 

James: The UFC 311 main card includes a heavyweight bout between Jailton Almeida and Sergehi Spivac. Almeida is a former elite prospect that has hit a roadblock. In a step up in competition, he lost to Curtis Blaydes. Still, he is 7-1 in the UFC. Similarly, Spivac is 8-4 in the UFC. In his recent run, he is 3-1 in his last four fights with his only loss coming against Ciryl Gane. 

Almeida is one of the best athletes in the heavyweight division. This is because he is smaller for the division. That works for him because he still has the strength to compete. This is paired with strong grappling skills. He lands takedowns, gets to strong positions, and finishes. The issue is that he can run into serious problems if he cannot dominantly grapple with his opponents. 

Spivac looks to land takedowns and wants to strike from the top position. If he lands a takedown, he is good at using mat returns to keep his opponent on the ground. That usually helps wear opposing heavyweights. 

This UFC 311 preview favors Almeida. It is a matchup between two grapplers and Alemeida is better in that realm. I expect him to land early takedowns and get to dominant positions. I will take Almeida by round-one knockout

Garrett: Almeida via TKO

Jerry: Almeida via submission

Anthony: Almeida via submission

No. 2 Jiri Prochazka vs. No. 3 Jamahal Hill- Light Heavyweight Bout

James: At UFC 311, Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal HIll will compete in a light heavyweight bout. The matchup needed to be booked. The pair are both former champions who have had a ton of success in the division. At the same time, they are looking to bounce back after losses against Alex Pereira. These two fighters have been on a crash course for years and now is a great time to run the fight. It will be an important bout, as well. The winner will have a chance to work themselves back into the title picture while the road gets longer for the loser. 

Prochazka is one of the most unique fighters in the UFC. This is because of the ways he moves and the angles he throws punches from. He bounces around the octagon while keeping his hands low. This makes his punches come from unique angles. That helps him land. If he is consistently landing, he has the power to end the fight. In addition, his chin and cardio make his cardio manageable. These physical attributes have helped him cover his flaws. 

Hill is one of the best strikers in the light heavyweight division. This is because he is one of the best boxers in the division. He has a nice jab, throws in combinations, switches stances, counters, and lands with serious power. This is present alongside impressive kicks and a functional kick game. It should also be noted that he can push the pace while presenting danger for five rounds. 

This UFC 311 bout previews as a sensational fight. It is a highly interesting matchup. The biggest questions surround Prochazka. In the past, he has discussed changing his style to become more defensively responsible. That is a tough feat to accomplish over one fight camp. Plus, he has been knocked out multiple times in recent outings. That is a serious concern considering his style massively depends on his durability. Those are both serious concerns. It is a close fight, but I will take Hill. This is a firefight that could end at any moment. Hill’s superior defensive fundamentals make me more optimistic he can stay safer in dangerous moments. That should help translate to landing a fighting-changing shot. I will take Hill by second-round knockout.

Garrett: Prochazka via TKO

Jerry: Hill via KO/TKO

Anthony: Hill via KO/TKO

(C) Merab Dvalishvili vs. No. 2 Umar Nurmagomedov- Bantamweight Title Fight 

James: The UFC 311 co-main event is a heated rivalry between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov. The pair do not like each other and are set to fight in a high-stakes fight. It does not get bigger than UFC title fights. Dvalishvili is looking to defend the title for the first time since defeating Sean O’Malley. In addition, he would extend his win streak to 12. On the other hand, Nurmagomedov is looking to join Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev as Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov trainees to hold UFC gold. 

Dvalishvili’s skill set is centered around his cardio. “The Machine” has earned his nickname through his machine-like cardio. In striking exchanges, this is done by getting in his opponent’s face and throwing an insane amount of volume. More importantly, he will attempt an absurd number of takedowns over five rounds. Despite landing takedowns at a low percentage, he attempts so many that he ends up landing quite a few takedowns. This is mostly down with traditional freestyle wrestling single and double legs. This high-output strategy has been successful, but it has its flaws. His insane offensive outputs give his opponent their own offensive opportunities as well.

Nurmagomedov is a solid grappler as well. This begins with his ability to land takedowns in the open space. He is willing and able to shoot takedowns with the help of the fence. That makes it harder for his opponent to defend shots. In the top position, he can control, advance, and land strikes. Plus, he can take his opponents back. In the striking realm, Nurmagomedov’s weapons are based on his length. This starts with an array of kicks, but he can also land straight punches. 

The UFC 311 co-main event is a tough fight to preview. It is hard to go against Dvalishvili’s insane pace throughout a five-round fight. That said, this is a tough matchup for him. Nurmagomedov’s length and movement should help him keep Dvalishvili out of his face. It is also unlikely that Dvalishvili will be able to control Nurmagomedov if he lands takedowns. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov is live to get back takes and kill the clock while being in a dominant position. I will take Nurmagomedov by decision

Garrett: Nurmagomedov via decision

Jerry: Nurmagomedov via decision

Anthony: Nurmagomedov via decision

(C) Islam Makhachev vs. No. 10 Renato Moicano- Lightweight Title Fight 

James: The UFC 311 co-main event features a lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Renato Moicano. This bout came together on a day’s notice. Makhachev was originally scheduled to fight Arman Tsarukyan, but the challenger pulled out with a back injury. The promotion managed to save the fight by promoting Moicano from his main card spot against Beneil Dariush to the title fight against Makhachev. That is an outstanding opportunity that has to be accepted. 

According to the UFC rankings, Makhachev is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The 33-year-old is on a 14-fight win streak that includes three title defenses. If Makhachev wins at UFC 311, he will break the record for consecutive lightweight title defenses. Moicano is on an impressive four-fight win streak. In typical circumstances, he would need a few more wins to get a title fight. That said, his recent run of success provides him with legitimacy when he steps into the octagon. 

Makhachev is an elite grappler. This is for a variety of reasons. It all starts with the fact that he can land takedowns by attacking the legs or working from the clinch. In the top position, he is elite. Makhachev is good at threatening with strikes and submissions. Plus, he often takes the back, allowing him to sit in dominant positions for minutes. Machackev’s game is rounded out with improving striking skills. At this point, he has slowly developed a strong toolbox of offensive striking skills. The most potent are his kicks. As a southpaw, he can often set up big rear kicks. Additionally, he has been consistently getting better with his hands. Makhachev’s boxing improvements are notable and have made him a much better striker. Lastly, he is an effective clinch fight. Mackachev looks for the clinch frequently and uses the position to land knees or initiate grappling exchanges. 

Moicano is an impressive BJJ practitioner. His goal is to land his body lock takedown, land in half guard, pass to mount, throw strikes until his opponent gives the back, and lock up the triangle. At that point, he becomes dangerous because he is sensational at alternating submission attempts and strikes to threaten his opponent while working towards a finish constantly. In the striking realm, his offensive striking mostly consists of straight shots. It is not complex, but he has power. The issues come on the defensive side of things. Moicano gets hit hard and can be hurt badly. 

The UFC 311 main event preview favors Makhachev. That should not come as a surprise considering the short-notice nature of this bout. It is also a terrible stylistic matchup for Moicano. The aforementioned idea of landing takedowns and working to mount will not work in this fight. Moicano will struggle to land takedowns. The prospect of landing takedowns and working to dominant positions is hard to imagine. It is far more likely that Makhachev will get to the top position and avoid Moicano’s submissions. Regardless, Makhachev is a more dangerous striker and much more defensively responsible. I will take Makhachev by second-round submission.

Garrett: Makhachev via submission

Jerry: Makhachev via KO/TKO

Anthony: Makhachev via submission

***

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