MMA Match Preview: Iwo Baraniewski (6-0, 1 NC) vs. Ibo Aslan (14-3)
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2 marks the promotion’s final pay-per-view of 2025, headlined by a bantamweight title rematch between champion Merab Dvalishvili and former titleholder Petr Yan. The co-main event features flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja defending against surging contender Joshua Van. This stacked card closes out the year with 14 bouts, blending title fights, ranked clashes, and emerging talents. The light heavyweight matchup between Iwo Baraniewski and Ibo Aslan is slotted on the early prelims, offering a high-upside clash between a undefeated prospect making his Octagon debut and a battle-tested veteran desperate for a rebound.
Venue Location
T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada (part of the Las Vegas Valley, United States). This state-of-the-art 20,000-seat arena on the Las Vegas Strip has hosted numerous UFC events, including historic nights like UFC 229 (McGregor vs. Khabib). Known for its electric atmosphere and pristine acoustics, it provides a perfect stage for a PPV finale. Expect standard Las Vegas elevation (around 2,000 feet) and dry air, which could favor grapplers like Baraniewski in prolonged exchanges.
Early Prelims (including Baraniewski vs. Aslan): 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT (ESPN+).
Prelims: 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT (ESPN/ESPN+).
Main Card: 10:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM PT (ESPN+ PPV).
The bout is scheduled for three five-minute rounds in the light heavyweight division (205 lbs limit).
Injury Report
Both fighters enter the Octagon fully cleared with no reported injuries as of December 4, 2025. Baraniewski, fresh off his Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) knockout in September, has had ample recovery time and no medical setbacks noted in UFC media updates. Aslan’s camp was unaffected by a prior opponent withdrawal—Junior Tafa pulled out of their September 28 UFC Fight Night 260 bout due to an undisclosed injury, but Aslan himself has been training uninterrupted since his July loss. UFC officials confirmed full fight camps for both during the December 3 media day. Monitor weigh-ins on December 5 for any last-minute issues.
Fighter Matchups
| Category | Iwo Baraniewski (“Rudy”) | Ibo Aslan (“The Last Ottoman”) |
| Age | 27 (born November 20, 1998) | 29 (born April 23, 1996) |
| Nationality | Poland (trains at Aligatores Fight Club) | Turkey (trains at MT Gym 23, Istanbul) |
| Height | 6’0″ (183 cm) | 6’3″ (191 cm) |
| Reach | 73″ (185 cm) | 77″ (196 cm) |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Weight Class | Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) | Light Heavyweight (205 lbs) |
| Pro Record | 6-0-0 (1 NC) | 14-3-0 |
| UFC Record | 0-0 (Debut) | 2-2 |
| Recent Finishes | 6/6 wins by stoppage (4 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) | 12/14 wins by stoppage (11 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) |
| Striking Stats | 12.00 sig. strikes/min (66% accuracy) 6.00 absorbed/min (33% defense) | 5.09 sig. strikes/min (47% accuracy) 3.47 absorbed/min (59% defense) |
| Grappling Stats | 0.90 takedowns/15 min (15% accuracy) 15% takedown defense | 0.50 takedowns/15 min Strong anti-grappling (no UFC subs absorbed) |
| Key Strength | Explosive power punching + wrestling transitions | Raw knockout power + reach advantage |
| Key Weakness | Limited UFC-level experience; untested defense | Recent tentative striking; 2-fight skid |
This matchup pits Baraniewski’s relentless pressure and grappling against Aslan’s length and one-punch KO threat. Baraniewski’s higher striking volume could overwhelm if he closes distance, but Aslan’s 4-inch reach edge invites a stand-up war. Expect early fireworks—both average under 2:00 fight times in wins.
Recent Form
Iwo Baraniewski: On an impeccable 6-0 run since his 2023 pro debut, all via first-round stoppages. His momentum peaked with a 20-second KO of Mahamed Aly on DWCS Week 6 (September 16, 2025), earning a UFC contract as the night’s biggest underdog (+300). Prior to that, he TKO’d Kamil Stachura (March 14, 2025, Babilon MMA 51) and shredded opponents in regional Polish circuits.
Form: W-W-W-W-W-W (all finishes). He’s a hype machine, blending judo roots with MMA aggression.
Ibo Aslan: Stumbling on a concerning 0-2 skid in 2025 after a blistering 6-0 KO/TKO streak. His latest was a unanimous decision loss to Billy Elekana (July 26, 2025, UFC on ABC 9), where he landed just 47% of strikes and avoided grappling entirely. Before that, a first-round arm-triangle sub loss to Ion Cuțelaba (February 22, 2025, UFC Fight Night 252). Positives: Back-to-back UFC KOs in 2024 (Anton Turkalj, October 26).
Form: L-L-W-W-W-W (but recent caution signals rust). Aslan needs a statement win to stay relevant.
Fight History
Iwo Baraniewski (6-0-0): A rapid riser from Poland’s regional scene, Baraniewski’s judo black belt (gold at 2020 Polish Youth Championships) translates to seamless MMA transitions. Full pro record:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Event | |
| Sep 16, 2025 | Mahamed Aly | W | KO (Punch) | 1 / 0:20 | DWCS 2025 Week 6 | |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Kamil Stachura | W | TKO (Elbows/Punches) | 1 / 3:02 | Babilon MMA 51 | |
| Nov 22, 2024 | Unnamed | W | TKO (Punches) | 1 / 3:01 | Babilon MMA 49 | |
| Sep 28, 2024 | Unnamed | W | TKO (Punches) | 1 / 1:11 | Babilon MMA 47 | |
| Sep 30, 2023 | Kamil Bartosiński | W | Sub (Armbar) | 1 / N/A | Babilon MMA 39 (Debut) | |
| Earlier 2023 | Unnamed | W | Sub (N/A) | 1 / N/A | Regional Polish Bout | |
| Amateur background: Multiple ADCC Polish Nationals medals (bronze 2019, gold 2020); GAMMA European silver (2021) and gold (2024). No losses—pure finisher. |
Ibo Aslan (14-3-0): A Turkish knockout artist with 11 TKOs, Aslan exploded onto UFC via DWCS Season 7 (August 15, 2023, first-round TKO of Paulo Renato Jr.). Early career built on Enfusion kickboxing (3x world champ). Full pro record highlights:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Event |
| Jul 26, 2025 | Billy Elekana | L | UD | 3 / 5:00 | UFC on ABC 9 |
| Feb 22, 2025 | Ion Cuțelaba | L | Sub (Arm-Triangle) | 1 / 2:15 | UFC Fight Night 252 |
| Oct 26, 2024 | Anton Turkalj | W | KO (Punches) | 3 / 1:32 | UFC Fight Night (TBD) |
| Mar 30, 2024 | Unnamed | W | KO (Punches) | 1 / N/A | UFC on ESPN |
| Aug 15, 2023 | Paulo Renato Jr. | W | TKO (Punches) | 1 / 3:34 | DWCS 2023 Week 7 |
| Pre-2023 | Multiple | 10-1 | 8 KO/TKO | Varies | Regional/Enfusion |
| Losses: Two pre-UFC TKOs (2019-2020); recent UFC skid exposed grappling holes. Strengths: 79% finish rate; absorbs minimal damage. |
Betting Trends
Public money is heavily leaning Baraniewski (72% of bets, 68% of handle), driven by his undefeated streak and DWCS viral KO—social media buzz has him as a “Polish phenom” with 15,000+ X mentions in the last week. Sharp action counters on Aslan (28% bets but 32% handle), valuing his UFC experience and reach; pros see value in the +160 as “trap line” bait for casuals. Trends show 65% of underdog money on Aslan in similar debut-vs-veteran spots this year (e.g., Aslan’s own DWCS underdog KO). Strike volume props favor Baraniewski over 15.5 sig. strikes landed (-120), while Aslan’s KD prop (anytime +200) draws 40% action from KO hunters. Overall handle up 12% week-over-week; expect line movement to -200/+170 by fight night if Baraniewski hype sustains.
FIGHT ODDS
Iwo Baraniewski – 165
Ibo Aslan + 135
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, December 5, 2025
