UFC 323 fight card: Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott, plus multiple former champions in Las Vegas

History could be made at UFC 323. On Saturday in Las Vegas, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili could become the only UFC fighter to make four successful title defenses in one calendar year. With so much attention on the legacy-defining feat, the undercard risks being overshadowed.

UFC 323 features not only two title fights, but also former champions in every main card bout. Former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo, ex-flyweight king Brandon Moreno and one-time light heavyweight ruler Jan Blachowicz are all in action. It's a solid undercard supporting what could be the most unique achievement in UFC history.

Take a look at three undercard fights worth your time, plus three honorable mentions, before the last UFC pay-per-view preceding the Paramount+ era.

Merab Dvalishvili's shot at UFC history among top storylines to watch at UFC 323 in Las Vegas

Brian Campbell

Henry Cejudo vs. Payton Talbott

Cejudo is expected to retire again on Saturday. His success before and after his first retirement couldn't be more different. He walked away from the sport in 2023, having become a two-division UFC champion and a successful bantamweight title defense. In his second stint, he's 0-3 and fighting an unranked opponent. But Cejudo's winless stretch doesn't tell the whole story. He took bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling to a split decision in his first fight in three years. Then he lost to Merab Dvalishvili, who'd go on to become arguably the best bantamweight ever. Against Song Yadong, Cejudo was fighting relatively well before an eye poke ruined everything.

The Talbott fight is unusual but inspired matchmaking. Talbott is a non-conformist among the regular MMA circle, drawing attention beyond the sport. He's an unfinished product, but he can fight his ass off. Talbott gave up 11 takedowns in his last two fights. If he can't fend off Olympic gold medalist Cejudo, the former champion can ride off into the sunset happily. But if Talbott gets it done, we have a new star player among the bantamweight elite.

Brandon Moreno vs. Tatsuro Taira

A UFC flyweight title shot could be at stake for the winner of this fight. Two-time former champion Moreno found himself on the outside looking in after consecutive split decision losses to Pantoja and Brandon Royval. After a six-month break, Moreno reemerged as a contender by knocking off young guns Amir Albazi and Steve Erceg. On Saturday, Moreno has another chance to prove that the new wave of flyweights isn't ready to take over. Taira is an impressive contender with a slick submission game. Taira (17-1) bounced back from a split decision, Fight of the Night loss to Royval by submitting Hyun Sung Park. Taira would be a fresh matchup for Pantoja or Van. Moreno hasn't fought Van either, but has a rich history with Pantoja.

Terrance McKinney vs. Chris Duncan

McKinney fights are feast and famine, always. He's never reached a decision, win or lose, in 24 pro fights. There's very little reason to suspect he'll break that chain on Saturday. McKinney has never chained together more than two consecutive wins in the UFC, but the second half of his Octagon run looks better than the first. He's on a 4-1 run with consecutive finishes over Viacheslav Borshchev (submission) and Damir Hadzovic (KO). Scotland's Duncan is a solid prospect at 4-1 in the UFC and 14-2 overall. A known KO artist on the regional scene, including in the "Contender Series" fight that earned him a UFC contract, Duncan has successfully incorporated submission wins into his repertoire since joining the promotion. Duncan is a slight favorite against the inconsistent McKinney, but the fight should be memorable whichever way it goes.

Honorable mentions: Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov, Maycee Barber vs. Karine Silva, and Edson Barboza vs. Jalin Turner