5 fighters who cannot afford to lose at UFC 311 feat. Beneil Dariush and Kevin Holland
This weekend sees the first major pay-per-view of 2025. UFC 311 is a huge event, featuring not one, but two big title fights.
At UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2, there can be no doubt that for some of the fighters in action, losing is not an option.
So can these fighters pull off the wins they need, or will it be disaster for them this weekend?
Here are five fighters who cannot afford to lose at UFC 311: Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2.
#5. Bogdan Guskov - UFC light-heavyweight contender
Every UFC event these days seems to have at least one or two fights changed on late notice due to injuries.
UFC 311 is no different. Light-heavyweight prospect Bogdan Guskov was preparing for what would've been the biggest fight of his octagon career against Johnny Walker.
However, Walker was forced out this weekend due to an undisclosed injury. This means that Guskov will now face newcomer Billy Elekana on literally a week's notice.
Not only is Elekana a relative nobody, but he's also a rare debutant to not emerge from Dana White's Contender Series. His record of 7-1 is solid, as is his three-fight win streak, but should he be capable of beating Guskov on short notice?
The answer is probably not, which means the native of Uzbekistan - who is on a two-fight streak with two knockouts - definitely needs to win. Lose under these circumstances, and it'd be hard to see him climbing back up the ladder.
#4. Jamahal Hill - former UFC light-heavyweight champion
It's arguable that there are more questions around Jamahal Hill than any other fighter coming into UFC 311.
This seems like an odd statement given that 'Sweet Dreams' is a former light-heavyweight champion. The truth, though, is that we don't fully know Hill's level just yet.
Sure, his wins over Glover Teixeira, Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker were impressive, but the former two fighters were, realistically, at the end of their careers.
Against Alex Pereira, meanwhile, Hill looked out of his depth and lasted just three minutes before he was knocked out.
Is 'Sweet Dreams' really a title-level fighter, then, or is he someone who got a bit lucky in terms of when he fought key opponents?
We should find out when he faces another former titleholder in Jiri Prochazka this weekend. 'BJP' is also coming off a loss to Pereira, but he did stop the tough Aleksandar Rakic last year.
It's arguable that aside from Pereira, Prochazka is the toughest opponent of Hill's career. If he loses, it'll be hard to buy him as a true title contender again.
Given he seems to have eyes on another run at the gold, then, 'Sweet Dreams' cannot afford to lose this weekend.
#3. Jailton Almeida - UFC heavyweight contender
This time last year, it was hard not to imagine heavyweight prospect Jailton Almeida climbing into contention for the UFC title.
'Malhadinho' was on an unbeaten run dating back to 2018, and had reeled off six straight wins in the octagon, culminating in a clear-cut decision win over Derrick Lewis.
However, in his biggest test - a title eliminator against Curtis Blaydes - Almeida faltered badly. He was stopped via TKO in the second round, and looked basically out of his depth against 'Razor'.
The Brazilian did bounce back in June by choking out Alexander Romanov, but the truth is that he needs to show more if he wants to get back into contention.
That's why his fight with Serghei Spivac this weekend is so important. 'The Polar Bear' is ranked at No.7 in the division, and has won seven of his last nine fights. He's a very real threat.
If Almeida can dispatch the Moldovan fighter, then he'd be right back into the title mix at heavyweight. If he loses, though, cries for him to drop back to 205 pounds might get louder.
With that considered, 'Malhadinho' absolutely needs to win this weekend.
#2. Kevin Holland - UFC middleweight contender
While he remains a widely popular fighter, Kevin Holland is still under a fair bit of pressure coming into UFC 311.
Not only is 'The Trailblazer' coming in on a run of 1-3 in his last four fights, but he also flattered to deceive badly in his most recent bout, a loss to Roman Dolidze.
Holland isn't likely to lose his spot on the UFC roster even if he fails to beat Reinier de Ridder this weekend. He always offers exciting fights, is a well-liked personality, and is willing to step in on late notice.
However, before his loss to Dolidze, 'The Trailblazer' likely had his sights set on climbing back into contention at 185 pounds after moving back there for the first time since 2021.
A win over de Ridder would right the ship somewhat, and leave his dreams of cracking the top fifteen still intact.
A loss, though, particularly to someone like 'The Dutch Knight' who didn't really shine in his debut, would be concerning. Given his insane schedule in recent years, in fact, many fans would probably push for Holland to have a lengthy period of rest.
If 'The Trailblazer' wants to avoid that, then, he needs to find a way to win this weekend.
#1. Beneil Dariush - UFC lightweight contender
It's almost certain that the fighter who has the most pressure on his shoulders coming into UFC 311 is Beneil Dariush.
The No.9-ranked lightweight rode a massive eight-fight win streak into title contention coming into 2023. However, that year saw him suffer a devastating knockout defeat to Charles Oliveira in probably the biggest fight of his career.
Dariush looked to rebound later that year, only to suffer an even nastier finish at the hands of Arman Tsarukyan, and worse was to come. 2024 saw him tear his meniscus, resulting in him missing the entire year.
Given he's now 35 years old, it's very fair to question how much Dariush has left in the tank, coming off two bad losses and a serious injury.
This weekend will see him face Renato Moicano, another veteran, but one who is on a very good run of four straight wins.
At his peak, Dariush would've been favored here, but right now, it's easy to see him struggling against the Brazilian. If that's the case, and he loses badly, then there will almost certainly be calls for him to hang up his gloves.
Therefore, if the Iranian has any hopes of climbing back to the top, he needs to win this fight.