The event will mark the promotion's tenth visit to Newark and first since UFC 288 in May 2023.[1]

A UFC Lightweight Championship bout between current champion Islam Makhachev and former interim champion Dustin Poirier is expected to headline the event.[2]

A five-round middleweight bout between former UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland and former title challenger Paulo Costa is expected to take place in a co-main event.[2]

A heavyweight bout between former Bellator Heavyweight World Champion Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida was expected to take place at this event.[3] However, the bout was scrapped for unknown reasons and Volkov was booked for UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Chimaev against former interim UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger Sergei Pavlovich.[4] Almeida is now expected to face Alexander Romanov instead.[5]

A women's strawweight bout between former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Gillian Robertson was scheduled for the event.[6] However, the bout was postponed to UFC 303 for unknown reasons.[7]

Jeremiah Wells was expected to face Niko Price in a welterweight bout.[8] However, Wells pulled out due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Alex Morono.[9] Price and Morono previously met at UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs. The Korean Zombie in February 2017, with the bout originally ending via second round knockout for Price, before ultimately being overturned to a no contest due to him testing positive for marijuana.[10][11]

Su Mudaerji and Joshua Van were expected to meet in a flyweight bout at this event.[12] However, Su pulled out in late April due to undisclosed reasons.[13] He was replaced by Tatsuro Taira.[14] In turn, both fighters were moved to UFC Fight Night: Perez vs. Taira in order to face different opponents.[15]

A middleweight bout between Roman Dolidze and former LFA Middleweight Champion Anthony Hernandez was scheduled to take place at the event.[16] However, Hernandez was forced out of the bout due to a torn ligament in his hand.[17]

Road to UFC Season 2 flyweight winner Park Hyun-sung was expected to face André Lima.[18] However, he pulled out due to a knee injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Nyamjargal Tumendemberel.[19] In turn, Tumendemberel was forced to withdraw from the event due to visa issues and was replaced by Mitch Raposo.[20] At the weigh ins, Lima weighed in at 130 pounds, four pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. The bout is expected to proceed at catchweight and he will be fined 30 percent of his purse which will go to Raposo.