A very successful 2024 is coming to an end with the final PPV of the year, UFC 310: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura for the Undisputed Flyweight Title. Although this event doesn’t have Hall-of-Famers at the top of the card like UFC 309, it is stacked from top to bottom with contenders, prospects, and former champions. No. 3 Shavkat Rakhmonov is taking on Ian Machado Garry in a battle between two undefeated contenders.
Although Asakura is debuting in a UFC title fight, do not take him lightly. Gilbert Melendez, Roudna Rousey, and Joe Soto are the only three fighters who have fought for a title in their UFC debut in the modern era. Asakura is a dangerous and vicious striker, and if he had a significant number next to his name, he would have been viewed differently. Asakura is a big flyweight, competing at bantamweight throughout his MMA career. Askura is 21-4 in his MMA career with 15 finishes. His last two victories have come by a knee to the body. Askura is known for his devastating knee strikes, some of the best in MMA.
But he is going up against the champion Pantoja, who has won three straight title fights with two defenses. Pantoja beat Steve Erceg at UFC 301 in May by unanimous decision. Pantoja outlanded him 125-111 on significant strikes while having 8:15 of control time. Since he became champion in July 2023, Pantoja has continued to refine and improve his game. Although Asakura is the taller fighter, he proved he can overcome a height difference against Erceg.
Even though this main event doesn’t feature the most prominent names or is a matchup fans were anticipating, it is a fantastic stylistic matchup. Pantoja has the edge on the ground, but on the feet, Asakura has an unknown, unique skillset. The champion is -250, and Asakura is +205 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
It is rare for two undefeated fighters to fight each other before they fight for a title. Since Garry made his UFC debut at UFC 268 and knocked out Jordan Williams in the first round, he has said the future is inevitable, hence his nickname, “The Future.” Since he made that statement, every move he has made has been calculated, and he has delivered on every promise he has made.
He is coming off a unanimous victory against veteran Michael Page. Garry didn’t stick to his usual game plan. Instead, he displayed his new and improved jiu-jitsu. Garry finished with 7:29 of control time with two takedowns against MVP—the transition from Kill Cliff FC to Chute Boxe with Diego Lima. Lima and former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira have played a crucial role in Garry’s development. Oliveira will be in Garry’s corner at UFC 310 for the first time.
But Garry faces his toughest test with Rakhmonov, the pride of Uzbekistan, who has finished all 18 of his opponents in his MMA career. Rakhmonov was initially scheduled to face the Undisputed Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad. But five weeks ago, Muhammad revealed he had a bone infection in his foot. Instead of waiting for the next title shot, Rakhmonov wanted to stay on the card and was willing to face any contender. Both fighters have a history with each other. Rakhmonov trains at Kill Cliff FC, Garry’s former team. They sparred before, and there is controversy about who got the upper hand in the training session.
The winner of this fight will be the next challenger for Muhammad’s 170-pound title in 2025. Currently, Rakhmonov is the big -380 favorite, with Garry being +300 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
The third fight from the top is a rematch between two of the top three fighters in the UFC heavyweight division. No. 2 Ciryl Gane will fight No. 3 Alexander Volkov in a three-round bout. These two fought in June 2021, with Gane winning the contest by unanimous decision. But since then, Gane has lost two of his last three fights while being 3-2. The 36-year-old Volkov is 5-1 in that span, with four straight victories. Gane is still a heavy favorite at -375, while Volkov is at +295.
Two fighters missed weight on Friday. Bryan Battle weighed in at 175 pounds, four over the welterweight limit. He is scheduled to face Randy Brown on the Prelims. Also, Anthony Smith, who is fighting Dominick Reyes in the featured Prelim bout, hit the scale 1.5 pounds over the light heavyweight limit. Smith continued to cut weight and successfully weighed in at 205.5 in his second attempt.
Check out the full card 13-fight card below.
Main Card starts at 10 P.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura Flyweight Title Fight | (28-5, 12-3 UFC) vs. 24-4 | Flyweight | -250 vs. +205 |
| Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry | (18-0, 6-0 UFC) vs. (15-0,8-0) | Welterweight | -375 vs. +295 |
| Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov | 12-2 (9-2 UFC) vs. 38-10 (12-4 UFC) | Heavyweight | -375 vs. +295 |
| Bryce Mitchell vs. Kron Gracie | 16-2 (7-2 UFC) vs. 5-2 (1-2 UFC) | Featherweight | -950 vs. +625 |
| Nate Landwehr vs. Dooho Choi | 18-5 (5-3 UFC) vs. 15-4-1 (4-3-1 UFC) | Featherweight | -130 vs. +110 |
Prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+ start at 8 p.m. ET.
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith | 13-4 (7-4 UFC) vs. 37-20 (13-10 UFC) | Light Heavyweight | -375 vs. +295 |
| Vicente Luque vs. Themba Gorimbo | 22-10-1 (15-6 UFC) vs. 14-4 (4-1 UFC) | Welterweight | +130 vs. -155 |
| Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling | 18-0 (8-0 UFC) vs. 24-4 (16-4 UFC) | Featherweight | -225 vs. +185 |
| Randy Brown vs. Bryan Battle | 19-5 (13-5 UFC) vs. 11-2 (6-1 UFC) | Welterweight | +154 vs. -185 |
| Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders | 16-7 (12-7 UFC) vs. 16-8 (8-8 UFC) | 195 LB Catchweight | -112 vs. -108 |
Early Prelims on ESPN+ start at 6 p.m. ET.
| Matchup: | Records: | Weight Class: | Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook: |
| Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van | 17-6-1 (6-4-1 UFC) vs. 11-2 (4-1 UFC) | Flyweight | +136 vs. -162 |
| Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin | 17-7 (12-7 UFC) vs. 20-10 (8-8 UFC) | Welterweight | -130 vs. +110 |
| Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper | 38-24 (18-18 UFC) vs. 14-3-1 (6-3 UFC) | Lightweight | +700 vs. -1100 |
| Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Lukasz Brzeski | 13-5 (7-5 UFC) vs. 9-5-1 | Heavyweight | -550 vs. +410 |
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