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UFC 310: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura Preview – Best Fights & Fighters to Watch

Check out some of the fights and fighters you don't want to miss at UFC 310.

Drew Beaupre

Jason Silva-Imagn Images

The penultimate UFC event of 2024 is set to go down this Saturday (December 7) when UFC 310 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

The Main Event

The main event will see Alexandre Pantoja attempt to defend his UFC flyweight title for the third time when he meets promotional newcomer and RIZIN star Kai Asakura.

“The Cannibal” has beaten most of the UFC’s top flyweight talent during his current six-fight winning streak, but if Asakura is able to upset the champion in Las Vegas it would be arguably the most impressive debut performance in UFC history.

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The Co-Main Event

The night’s co-main event is a pivotal welterweight matchup between undefeated contenders Shakvat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry.

Rakhmonov was set to challenge Belal Muhammad for the welterweight belt before Muhammad
was forced off of UFC 310 due to a bone infection, and now Machado Garry will try to spoil the 30-year-old’s title aspirations and secure his own shot at “Remember the Name” in the process.

Fights You Don’t Want To Miss

Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling

Featherweight is arguably the UFC’s most exciting weight class at the moment, and the winner
of this matchup could be in line for a crack at divisional kingpin Ilia Topuria.

Sterling impressed in his featherweight debut at UFC 300 when he defeated Calvin Katter, but if “Funk Master” wants to try and claim a UFC title in a second division then he’ll have to hand Evloev the first loss of his career.

Nate Landwehr vs. Doo Ho Choi

Fans know what to expect when these two men enter the Octagon, and on paper this looks like the clear pre-event pick for Fight of the Night honors at UFC 310.

Landwehr had a three-fight win streak snapped by Dan Ige but returned to the win column by stopping Jamall Emmers in March, while Choi is riding the momentum of his first victory since 2016 after he knocked out Bill Algeo in July.

Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov

This is another fight at UFC 310 with serious title implications, as both men are ranked in the heavyweight Top 5 and Volkov is currently on a four-fight win streak.

A win over a former interim champion in Gane could secure Volkov a title shot once the UFC decides what it wants to do with Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, but “Bon Gamin” will be eager to hand the Russian another loss after taking a unanimous decision when the pair first met in 2021.

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Fighters to Watch

Chris Weidman

Weidman was originally set to face Eryk Anders at UFC 309 before Anders withdrew due to food poisoning, but the UFC worked quickly to rebook the matchup in Las Vegas.

Many fans expected that a fight at Madison Square Garden could be the perfect send off for Weidman, and now it remains to be seen if UFC 310 will be the last time “The All-American” steps into the UFC Octagon.

Dominick Reyes

Reyes famously came up short in a controversial light heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones at UFC 247 before suffering three-straight knockout losses, but after taking some time off the 34-year-old returned in June and stopped Dustin Jacoby in the first round.

Now set to meet longtime UFC veteran and former title challenger Anthony Smith at UFC 310, Reyes will try to score back-to-back wins and prove to fans that he’s still one of the top fighters in the light heavyweight division.

Bryce Mitchell

Mitchell’s only career losses came at the hands of current UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria and former interim title challenger Josh Emmett, but the loss to Emmett last December was one of the nastier knockouts of 2023.

Set to return after just under a year on the sidelines, Mitchell will look to get back on track in a grappler vs. grappler matchup with Kron Gracie, who started his MMA career at 5-0 but is currently on a two-fight skid and hasn’t competed since May of 2023.

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UFC 310 Main Card

• Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura – For the UFC Flyweight Championship

• Co-Main Event: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry

• Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov

• Bryce Mitchell vs. Kron Gracie

• Nate Landwehr vs. Doo Ho Choi

UFC 310 Preliminary Card

• Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith

• Vicente Luque vs. Themba Gorimbo

• Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling

• Randy Brown vs. Bryan Battle

UFC 310 Early Preliminary Card

• Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders

• Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van

• Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin

• Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper

• Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Lukasz Brzeski

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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