The UFC’s return to Sydney is now a little over two months away.
Aussie fight fans will note the main event for the February 9 pay-per-view is yet to be confirmed.
While three fights have been announced so far, none of them scream headliner, or even main card, for that matter. Take a look at the confirmed fights here.
MORE: 'Walk through Ilia': Why Alex Volkanovski is tipped for stunning comeback
In the UFC’s recent history, very few PPV events have not involved title fights, and the exceptions have either had the star power of Conor McGregor, last-minute injuries or main event fighters missing weight.
So which belt will be on the line at UFC 312 in Sydney? Let’s take a look through every weight class and assess the options.
Who will headline UFC 312?
Men’s flyweight
Alexandre Pantoja puts his belt on the line against UFC newcomer Kai Asukura at UFC 310 in Las Vegas on December 7. It’s extremely unlikely either man would turn around and fight in Sydney.
Chance: 5%
Men’s bantamweight
Merab Dvalishvili won the belt off Sean O’Malley in September. He’ll face Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January.
Chance: 0%
Men’s featherweight
Ilia Topuria is adamant his next fight will be in Spain, with Australia’s Alex Volkanovski first in line to face him in a rematch. Volkanovski’s chances of fighting in Sydney appear to be fading, unfortunately.
Chance: 0%
Men’s lightweight
Islam Makhachev is booked to face Arman Tsarukyan in the UFC 311 headliner in Los Angeles in January.
Chance: 0%
Men’s welterweight
Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry face off in a title eliminator at UFC 310, with champion Belal Muhammad sidelined through injury. The champ is back in training again but with the number one contender about to be locked in, he’s expected to sit out and face the winner later in 2025.
Chance: 5%
Men’s middleweight
This looked like being the one, but now we’re not so sure. Despite his own wishes, and those of the majority of fans, Dricus du Plessis looks set to face Sean Strickland, not Khamzat Chimaev, next. Sydney has a large South African presence and Strickland upset Israel Adesanya in the city back in 2023. Strickland however has said he won’t be fighting in Australia again. Perhaps a big fat cheque from the UFC could change his mind.
Chance: 20%
Men’s light heavyweight
No one has bailed the UFC out more than Alex Pereira in recent times. The Brazilian superstar is being lined up to face Magomed Ankalaev next. The pair each fought most recently in October and Sydney would be a curious landing spot for the bout, particularly given Pereira’s soaring popularity.
Chance: 5%
Men’s heavyweight
Jon Jones had an 18-month layoff prior to his recent win over Stipe Miocic and there’s no guarantee he fights again. Interim champ Tom Aspinall is adamant he’s not fighting anyone but Jones, so you can scratch that one off the list.
Chance: 0%
Women’s strawweight
Zhang Weili hasn’t fought since defending the title in April, while undefeated number one contender, Tatiana Suarez, was last in action in August. Suarez was due to face Virna Jandiroba at UFC 310 but the former withdrew due to an undisclosed health issue. The UFC could book Weili against either of those two, depending on their availability, although it’s not exactly the blockbuster fans would be hoping for.
Chance: 30%
Women’s flyweight
Another one that goes in the “maybe, but probably not” pile. Valentina Shevchenko last fought at the Sphere in September. Manon Fiorot is next in line for a shot at the belt and she’s been out since March. A Kyrgyzstani fighter taking on a Frenchwoman in Sydney? Why not.
Chance: 15%
Women’s bantamweight
Julianna Pena last fought in early October on the same card as Kayla Harrison, her likely next opponent. The timelines are reasonable enough for UFC 312, although there has been little in the way of rumoured negotiations for a fight and the clock is ticking.
Chance: 10%
Conclusion
Unless the UFC pulls a rabbit out of the hat, the women's strawweight title looks most likely to go on the line in Sydney, with Dricus du Plessis' middleweight strap a close second.
