The event marked the promotion's 12th visit to New York City and first since
UFC 309 in November 2024. Makhachev vacated his lightweight title in May in order to move up to welterweight. In addition, a
UFC Women's Flyweight Championship bout between current two-time champion
Valentina Shevchenko and former two-time
UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili co-headlined the event. Zhang vacated her strawweight title in October in order to challenge for the flyweight title. A bantamweight bout between Malcolm Wellmaker and Serhiy Sidey was scheduled for this event. However, Sidey withdrew due to a shoulder injury and was replaced by Cody Haddon. Two days before the event, Haddon also withdrew due to an injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Ethyn Ewing. The bout was subsequently shifted to the featherweight division. At the weigh-ins,
Beneil Dariush weighed in at 157.2 pounds, 1.2 pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and he was fined 25 percent of his purse, which went to his opponent
Benoît Saint Denis. ==Results==