11-1 lightweight finally books UFC 334 debut over a year after earning a contract from Dana White

A long-awaited arrival will take place inside Madison Square Garden this November.

The Octagon will soon be back at the iconic venue in New York City for the UFC’s annual numbered event in ‘The Big Apple’.

All eyes will be on the two headlining title fights at UFC 334, as heavyweight king Ciryl Gane defends against Josh Hokit in the main event after bantamweight queen Kayla Harrison welcomes Amanda Nunes back from retirement.

The undercard is still coming together, and among those with a chance to impress on the major card is a Dana White’s Contender Series winner who has had to wait a while for his opportunity.

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Former MMA champion Samuel Sanches books UFC 334 debut at Madison Square Garden

It has been almost 13 months since Samuel Sanches was awarded a contract from UFC president Dana White.

‘The Prodigy’ extended his professional record in mixed martial arts to 11-1 by knocking out Chasen Blair in just over two minutes on DWCS.

A former champion under the Demo Fight banner in Brazil, Sanches is a highly touted prospect in the lightweight division.

He has been unable to prove why to the wider UFC fanbase after being forced to withdraw from his originally planned debut in Seattle this past March.

The 23-year-old now finally has a new date for his first outing inside the Octagon on the calendar, and it will provide a major chance for Sanches to make an impression.

Per Brazilian reporter Leo Guimaraes, ‘The Prodigy’ will compete on the UFC 334 undercard at MSG against Evan Elder.

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The American lost his first two fights in the UFC but has since bounced back with three straight victories.

Like Sanches, Elder is coming off a lengthy layoff, having not fought since his unanimous decision victory over Gauge Young in April 2025.

‘The Prodigy’ and ‘The Phenom’ have now joined the likes of Kevin Holland, Bilal Hasan, Caio Borralho, and Stephen Thompson on the undercard of Gane vs Hokit at UFC 334.