With Merab Dvalishvili emphatically holding down the bantamweight throne, contenders Mario Bautista and Umar Nurmagomedov will try to enhance their position in the title queue at UFC 321.
Mario Bautista vs. Umar Nurmagomedov preview
Nurmagomedov (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) aims to bounce back from his first career loss, a close unanimous decision loss to Dvalishvili in a UFC bantamweight title fight in at UFC 311 in January. Prior to that fight, Nurmagomedov defeated Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision.
Training under John Crouch at the MMA Lab, Bautista (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has been on a tremendous run of success. Since a March 2021 loss, Bautista has rattled off eight-straight wins, including recent victories over Jose Aldo and Patchy Mix.
Mario Bautista vs. Umar Nurmagomedov odds
According to MyBookie, Nurmagomedov is a heavy -357 favorite to rebound from his first loss against Bautista, who is a +255 underdog to extend his winning streak.
How to watch Mario Bautista vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Where: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view
When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025
