UFC 334: Evan Elder vs Samuel Sanches Preview & Prediction

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Lightweight Evan Elder goes for four in a row as he welcomes Contender Series KO artist Samuel Sanches to the Octagon at UFC 334.

Evan Elder vs Samuel Sanches facts

What time are Evan Elder and Samuel Sanches expected to walk out? 14 November 2026 at 10:10 pm

Where is UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit? Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA

Where can I get tickets for UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 334

What TV channel is UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit main card

Ciryl Gane vs Josh Hokit (Heavyweight)

Kayla Harrison vs Amanda Nunes (Women’s Bantamweight)

Caio Borralho vs Yousri Belgaroui (Middleweight)

Uros Medic vs Kevin Holland (Welterweight)

Bilal Hasan vs Luis Gurule (Flyweight)

UFC 334: Gane vs Hokit prelims

Stephen Thompson vs Charles Radtke (Welterweight)

Drew Dober vs Chris Duncan (Lightweight)

Jim Miller vs Terrance McKinney (Lightweight)

Donte Johnson vs Cesar Almeida (Middleweight)

Jared Gordon vs Melquizael Costa (Lightweight)

Macy Chiasson vs Beatriz Mesquita (Women’s Bantamweight)

Alateng Heili vs Juan Diaz (Bantamweight)

Evan Elder vs Samuel Sanches (Lightweight)

Evan Elder: “The Phenom” finding UFC form

Evan Elder (10-2) comes in as the slight underdog despite riding a three-fight UFC win streak over Genaro Valdez, Darrius Flowers and Gauge Young. He hasn’t fought since the unanimous decision over Young in April 2025, after a booking against Tom Nolan fell through, so ring rust is a fair question. Elder has evolved into a composed, high-volume pressure fighter who switches stances, mixes well to the body and uses his cardio to wear opponents down. He rarely looks to wrestle, but he has opportunistic submissions, as the arm-triangle finish of Flowers showed.

Samuel Sanches: “The Prodigy” gets his debut

Samuel Sanches (11-1) is just 23, and eight of his eleven wins have come by knockout. He earned his contract on the Contender Series in September 2025, going in as the underdog and flattening Paddy Pimblett’s teammate Chasen Blair in just over two minutes with a flurry off the fence. Over a year later, his debut finally comes on a pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden. He’s an explosive boxer who stands tall, embraces the fire and trades heavy in the pocket with wide hooks thrown in combination, but he can overextend on his punches.

Evan Elder vs Samuel Sanches prediction

Experience matters a lot in this matchup. Sanches is young and unproven at this level, and he’s debuting on a big card at the Garden, where the pressure could get to him. Elder has done the work in the UFC and evolved into a well-rounded fighter, and I think he’s being overlooked here.

The power advantage is with Sanches, no question, and he’ll be gunning for a first-round knockout. That’s the danger zone for Elder, especially coming off more than eighteen months out. But if Sanches doesn’t get it early, I can see the tide turning. On the feet, Elder has the more rounded striking and the gas tank to go fifteen minutes. He’ll keep chipping away with volume to the body, which is exactly how you slow down a young knockout artist who loads up on every shot.

The other route is the takedown. Elder isn’t a volume wrestler, but Sanches stands tall and overextends on those wide hooks, which gives Elder a window to time a level change and drag the fight to the mat, where he’s more comfortable. If it gets there, Elder is the one with the submission threat. Elder by submission is a sneaky shout, but I’ll keep it simple.

Prediction: Evan Elder to win