Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world, played host to Ultimate Fighting Championship 310 on Dec. 7, capping off a historic year of pay-per-view cards for the global leader in combat sports.

In the main event, Brazilian marauder Alexandre Pantoja looked to defend his flyweight title for the third time against UFC debutant and flashy Japanese superstar, Kai Asakura.

The classic striker vs. grappler matchup resulted in a dominant performance from Pantoja, who capped off his record-tying display with a rear-naked choke submission in round two. The chain wrestling and elite grappling capability of the champion proved too much for the UFC newcomer and former two-time RIZN Fighting Federation bantamweight champion. Pantoja simply wouldn’t lose to a fighter making their UFC debut, it was never a doubt.

Pantoja has tied the record for the most wins in UFC flyweight history, matching former champions Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benvitez with 13. At this point, Pantoja has defeated five opponents inside the top ten and seems to be an unbeatable force in the 125-pound division. I think it’s time to have serious conversations about Pantoja moving up to bantamweight in hopes of capturing his second UFC title. Names like Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov certainly interest me and could be an attractive test for the flyweight champion.

In the co-main event, undefeated Kazakhstani warrior Shavkat Rakhmonov would encounter a similar foe, undefeated Irishmen Ian Machado Garry. With combined records of 33-0, the winner is a surefire to fight Belal Muhammad for the welterweight championship.

With both fighters going through the biggest test of their careers, the contest would ultimately fall to the judges, who sided with Shavkat Rakhmonov over the course of five rounds. UFC 310 was the first time Rakhmonov has gone to decision in his professional career, coming into the fight with 18 wins and 18 finishes. A late submission attempt from Garry in round five wasn’t enough to put away the UFC’s first Kazakh fighter.

The welterweight title picture is now clear: you rebook Belal Muhammad vs Shavkat Rakhmonov. The bout, originally scheduled for UFC 310, was canceled after Muhammad had to withdraw due to a toe infection.

Although Rakhmonov remains undefeated through 2024, that record is at major risk with a title fight brewing against UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.

Muhammad’s unique style of relentless pressure and imposing wrestling gives Rakhmonov a handful of problems – problems I’m not sure he can deal with. The finishing threat is always at large when fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov, however I’m confident Belal Muhammad goes into his first title defense and systematically breaks the challenger over the course of five rounds. I haven’t been overly impressed with Rakhmonov in recent fights and I trust the champion in this matchup. Regardless of the outcome, Muhammad versus Rakhmonov remains one of my most anticipated fights for 2025.

The featured fight on the main card was a rematch between two goliaths of the heavyweight division. France’s Ciryl Gane faced off against 6 foot 7 inch Russian giant, Alexander Volkov. In their first fight in 2022, Gane showed his level and won quite convincingly, however that was not the case at UFC 310. After an impressive 15-minute showing, it was clear that Alexander Volkov had done enough to sway the judges’ scorecards. However, in what is one of the most controversial decisions in recent UFC memory, Gane defeated Volkov via split decision, a decision that Mixed Martial Arts fans alike are stunned by.

In my opinion, Volkov was landing the cleaner strikes on the feet while implementing his underrated wrestling game, proving he was the better man on the night. I was utterly shocked by the decision, it seemed like a clear 29-28 scorecard for Alexander Volkov. With UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones seemingly not wanting to fight interim champion Tom Aspinall, this certainly doesn’t help the confusion at the top of the division.

Other notable winners from UFC 310 include undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev, who defeated former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling by unanimous decision, in what was a spectacular grappling showcase from both fighters. Also, rising prospects Bryan Battle and Joshua Van both collected their win money after beating their opponents by decision.

The UFC’s focus now shifts to Tampa, Florida, for the final card of the year on Dec. 14, headlined by an intriguing welterweight matchup between former interim champion Colby Covington and surging contender Joaquin Buckley. This one should be fun.

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