Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Petr Yan Reclaims Bantamweight Title as Joshua Van Crowned After Pantoja Injury at UFC 323

The event capped the UFC’s ESPN pay-per-view era ahead of a move to Paramount+ in 2026.

Overview

  • Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47), stuffing 27 of 29 takedown attempts to halt the champion’s bid for a fourth 2025 defense.
  • Joshua Van won the flyweight belt by TKO at 0:26 after Alexandre Pantoja suffered a severe arm injury while falling, ending the co-main event almost immediately.
  • Tatsuro Taira stopped Brandon Moreno in Round 2, strengthening his case as the leading contender in a flyweight division suddenly in flux.
  • Henry Cejudo lost a unanimous decision to Payton Talbott and announced his retirement in the cage, receiving a special $50,000 bonus.
  • UFC awarded Fight of the Night to Yan–Dvalishvili, with Performance of the Night bonuses to Manuel Torres and Iwo Baraniewski, as the promotion now turns to Paramount+ beginning Jan. 24, 2026.