UFC 321 FAQ: Two championship belts on the line for daytime card

This UFC returns to Abu Dhabi this weekend with a pay-per-view card headlined by a pair of title fights. UFC 321 is a rare numbered event that takes place during the daytime for North American audiences.

Tom Aspinall will defend the undisputed heavyweight championship against Ciryl Gane in the main event, while Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern will compete for the vacant strawweight title in the co-main event.

Here’s what else you need to know ahead of UFC 321:

When and where does it take place? UFC 321 takes place Saturday, with the preliminary card beginning in the morning in North America. The main card will begin at 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT. Sportsnet’s preliminary card coverage begins at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT. The prelims will air on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet+, with the pay-per-view main card available to purchase through Sportsnet+.

Saturday’s event will be the 22nd UFC card held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, since 2010 and the 10th at Etihad Arena. Every event there since 2021 has been at the same venue, including a July Fight Night event a few months ago. The most recent numbered event there was UFC 308 in October of 2024, which featured Ilia Topuria knocking out Max Holloway in a featherweight title matchup.

Why the vacant title in co-main event? Jandiroba and Dern are fighting each other for gold because reigning champion Zhang Weili is relinquishing her title so she can move up a division and challenge women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 322 next month.

Saturday’s co-feature is a rematch almost five full years in the making as the pair of 115-pounders previously met at UFC 256 in 2020, with Dern winning a unanimous three-round decision with every judge scoring the bout two rounds to one in favour of Dern. The rematch will be a five-round bout.

Who else is on the card? In addition to the pair of title fights, UFC 321 features a dozen other bouts that include a potential bantamweight title eliminator between Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista. Nurmagomedov hasn’t fought since suffering his first career loss in his title fight with Merab Dvalishvili earlier this year, while Bautista is riding an eight-fight winning streak. The winner of that 135-pound contest could be in line to face the winner of Dvalishvili vs. Petr Yan, which is set to headline UFC 323 in December.

The main card is rounded out by Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida — which will serve as a heavyweight title eliminator — plus a 205-pound meeting between light-heavyweight contenders Aleksandar Rakic and the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov.

The preliminary card has several quality matchups with some rising contenders in the spotlight like Australia’s Quillan Salkilld, a winner of nine straight, who faces Nasrat Haqparast in the featured prelim.

UFC 321 projected bout order below (subject to change):

MAIN CARD

-- Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane

-- Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern

-- Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista

-- Alexander Volkov vs. Jailton Almeida

-- Aleksandar Rakic vs. Azamat Murzakanov

PRELIMINARY CARD

-- Nasrat Haqparast vs. Quillan Salkilld

-- Ikram Aliskerov vs. Park Jun-yong

-- Ludovit Klein vs. Mateusz Rebecki

-- Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Matheus Camilo

-- Valter Walker vs. Louie Sutherland

-- Nathaniel Wood vs. Jose Delgado

-- Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Chris Barnett

-- Azat Maksum vs. Mitch Raposo

-- Jaqueline Amorim vs. Mizuki Inoue

Who’s on the call? Laura Sanko will be subbing in for Joe Rogan on the broadcast since Rogan no longer travels to commentate on pay-per-view cards located outside the United States. Sanko will be alongside play-by-play commentator Jon Anik and analyst Daniel Cormier. Sanko, a former fighter like Cormier, is popular and knowledgeable and has been doing cageside commentary more frequently of late, including during the latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series.

Joining that trio on the broadcast will be John Gooden, who’s quite familiar with his English compatriot Tom Aspinall. Gooden is one of the UFC’s go-to play-by-play announcers for international events but will instead be fulfilling the in-house reporter duties at UFC 321.

What else is happening during fight week? Fighters will speak with gathered reporters on Wednesday for the official media day. The pre-fight press conference takes place on Thursday, before the official and ceremonial weigh-ins both go down on Friday.

Thursday's press conference can be streamed live on Sportsnet+ beginning at approximately 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT.

Following the official weigh-ins have concluded, Friday's ceremonial weigh-in can be streamed live on Sportsnet+ beginning at approximately 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT.

All fighters competing in non-title bouts will be granted a one-pound allowance at the official weigh-in; however, the four title competitors will not be given that advantage.

Making weight has never been an issue for the two heavyweights. Aspinall and Gane must weigh at least 206 pounds but no more than 265 pounds. Aspinall last fought in July of 2024 when he weighed 251 pounds before defeating Curtis Blaydes. Gane weighed 245.5 pounds for his most recent fight last December.

Meanwhile, Jandiroba and Dern must weigh no heavier than 115 pounds for their title fight. Dern missed weight on multiple occasions early in her MMA career, including ahead of her second UFC appearance, but has not missed weight since 2018. Jandiroba has never missed the mark during her UFC career.