UFC 322 Recap

UFC 322 Recap

 

UFC 322 Recap: A Night of Ups and Downs in the Octagon

UFC 322 came in with big expectations and left me feeling split. Some fireworks, some flat lines, and a whole lot of moments where I was just hoping the next fight would wake the card up. Still, there was plenty worth breaking down from start to finish.

The Vibe Check

Honestly, the energy felt off from the jump. The UFC pushed this card hard, talked it up like it was going to shift divisions, and on paper it looked like it could. But once it started, that spark never really showed up.

Some of that was just the pacing—slow early, dragged in places, and the heavy hitters didn’t deliver the chaos the hype suggested. Even in perfect conditions, this one wasn't built to keep you glued to the screen. College football honestly out-shined it.

Still, the night had a few moments that shook things up and gave us something to talk about.

Early Prelims: Slow Start, One Bright Spot

The night opened with Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Matheus Camilo, and it didn’t do much to set the tone. Borshchev is technical, but he doesn’t bring that danger factor. It was a steady decision win, nothing memorable.

Then Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico came along and finally brought the energy. Susurkaev fought with confidence, picked his shots, and closed the show with a clean third-round KO. Crisp, patient, and exactly the jolt the card needed to feel alive again.

The Middle of the Pack

Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline was one-way traffic. Kline didn’t find the finish, but she controlled every phase—pressure, clinch work, grappling, and pace. Hill is tough as nails, but the gap in speed and sharpness was obvious. She’s had a long career, but fights like these make you wonder how much longer she’ll keep going.

Pat Sabatini followed with a classic Sabatini blueprint: force the wrestling, slow the pace, and grind out a win. It wasn't flashy, but it was clean execution. If you can’t keep Sabatini off you, you're going to have a long night.

Meerschaert’s Tough Decline

Seeing Gerald Meerschaert get subbed quickly wasn’t just a bad loss — it felt like a turning point. He looked flat the second the fight started. The urgency wasn’t there, the reactions weren’t there, and once it hit the mat, it was over instantly.

He’s been the veteran test for years, the guy who catches prospects slipping… but right now, he looks like the one getting passed up. It’s tough to watch.

Ethyn Ewing Steps Up

Short-notice fighters don’t usually look this composed. Ethyn Ewing stepped in and took over completely against Malcolm Wellmaker. He shut down the jab, controlled footwork, managed the range, and picked the right moments to wrestle.

It wasn’t chaos — it was control. And that says a lot for a guy jumping in last-minute. He looked like someone who’s not just filling a spot, but someone who’s ready to take a real one.

Main Card: Finally, Some Heat

Finally, some violence. Benoît Saint Denis detonated Beneil Dariush in 16 seconds with a perfectly placed shot. Absolute missile. The kind of knockout that wakes the whole card up.

Saint Denis continues to clean up his aggression and tighten up his approach, and if he keeps trending this way, he’s going to force his way into big fights whether the division is ready or not.

Welterweight Chaos

Leon Edwards getting knocked out by Carlos Prates was one of the biggest shocks of the night. Edwards has built a career on sharp timing and elite defense, but Prates found the window and slammed the door shut.

This loss doesn’t end Edwards’ run, but it resets everything. Meanwhile Prates just rocketed himself into a new tier.

Michael Morales vs. Sean Brady

This fight showed the difference size can make. Michael Morales looked like the stronger, bigger fighter from the start. He kept Brady on the outside, shut down entries, and slowly took over the exchanges. Morales is raw, but the ceiling is obvious.

I’m fully in on Morales vs. Carlos Prates next — it just makes sense. Same momentum, same trajectory, same test: who’s ready for the real jump?

Shevchenko vs. Weili

The co-main looked incredible on paper, but the fight never hit that next gear. Valentina Shevchenko used her size and grappling edge to keep the fight exactly where she wanted it, and Zhang Weili never found the rhythm she needed to turn it into a war.

Not a terrible fight — just flat. With how long these two have been at the top, the division badly needs fresh matchups.

Final Takeaways

UFC 322 wasn’t a classic, but it still moved the needle in a few divisions:

  • Saint Denis stole the show.

  • Michael Morales made another huge step.

  • Carlos Prates flipped welterweight upside down.

  • Ethyn Ewing announced himself in a big way.

  • Angela Hill and Gerald Meerschaert might be nearing the end of their competitive windows.

Not every card needs to be an all-timer. This one at least gave us storylines — even if it didn’t give us the thrill ride

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