UFC 310: Pantoja Remains On Top

The electrifying atmosphere of T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas set the stage for UFC 310, a night packed with action, thrilling finishes, and high-stakes matchups. Fans were treated to an unforgettable evening as Alexandre Pantoja retained his UFC flyweight title in spectacular fashion, cementing his dominance at the top of the division.

The preliminary card raised the curtain with six thrilling finishes, complemented by three tightly contested bouts that had the crowd buzzing. By the time the main card kicked off, the energy in the arena was palpable, and the athletes inside the Octagon delivered on every expectation.

The main event featured reigning flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja against Japan’s Kai Asakura. Known for his explosive striking, Asakura posed a significant threat, but Pantoja’s all-around skills proved to be the difference. After a measured start, Pantoja seized an opportunity early in the second round, taking Asakura’s back and sinking in a fight-ending rear-naked choke at the 2:05 mark. It was a clinical performance from the champion, who continues to showcase why he’s the best at 125 pounds.

The co-main event saw welterweight sensation Shavkat Rakhmonov take on the undefeated Ian Machado Garry. Rakhmonov’s relentless pace and diverse striking earned him a unanimous decision victory (48-47 on all scorecards), handing Garry his first professional loss and solidifying Rakhmonov’s place as the next title challenger at 170 pounds.

In heavyweight action, former interim champion Ciryl Gane edged Alexander Volkov in a razor-close split decision. Both men had moments of brilliance in a back-and-forth clash, but Gane’s precision striking and movement ultimately swayed the judges in his favor.

Elsewhere on the main card, Bryce Mitchell showcased his ground-and-pound prowess with a highlight-reel elbow knockout of Kron Gracie just 39 seconds into the third round. Earlier, Dooho Choi made a triumphant return, earning a third-round TKO over Nate Landwehr with a dominant display from the mounted crucifix position.

The preliminary card featured its share of fireworks, with Vicente Luque securing a quick submission win via anaconda choke, Movsar Evloev outpointing former bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling, and Eryk Anders earning a late TKO against Chris Weidman. Notable finishes included Chase Hooper’s slick armbar submission over Clay Guida and Kennedy Nzechukwu’s first-round TKO of Lukasz Brezeski.

Here’s a complete rundown of the results:

• Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja defeats Kai Asakura via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:05 of Round 2.

• Co-Main Event: Shavkat Rakhmonov defeats Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47).

• Ciryl Gane defeats Alexander Volkov by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

• Bryce Mitchell defeats Kron Gracie via KO (elbow) at 0:39 of Round 3.

• Dooho Choi defeats Nate Landwehr via TKO (strikes) at 3:21 of Round 3.

Prelim Highlights:

• Vicente Luque defeats Themba Gorimbo via submission (anaconda choke) at 0:52 of Round 1.

• Movsar Evloev defeats Aljamain Sterling by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

• Eryk Anders defeats Chris Weidman via TKO (strikes) at 4:51 of Round 2.

• Chase Hooper defeats Clay Guida via submission (armbar) at 3:41 of Round 1.

• Kennedy Nzechukwu defeats Lukasz Brezeski via TKO (strikes) at 4:51 of Round 1.