UFC310 Pantoja vs Asakura was the last Pay-Per-View event that the Ultimate Fighting Championship held in 2024, on Dec. 7. Capping off a historic year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a great night of fights in the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

In the last UFC championship fight of the year, Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja successfully made his third UFC flyweight title defense with an electric win over Kai Asakura, former two time Rizin Fighting Federation bantamweight champion, in a high-pace highlight-filled fight.

Pantoja spoiled Asakura’s debut fight with the UFC quickly by submitting him with a rear-naked choke in the second round. Asakura is only the third fighter to receive a title fight in his debut fight with the UFC.

“I’m the GOAT here, if you wanna wanna prove you’re the GOAT, come back,” said Pantoja in his post-fight octagon interview showing confidence claiming to be the greatest flyweight fighter of all time. Pantoja challenged former UFC and ONE Championship flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson to come out of retirement and fight for the title.

In the co-main event fight, No.3 ranked welterweight and undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov faced No. 7 ranked Ian Machado Garry in a welterweight title eliminator fight. Rakhmonov won via unanimous decision, 49-48, in a close battle between the former training partners that went the distance. Rakhmonov handed Garry the first loss of his professional career. It was a close fight where both men acknowledged they might meet in the octagon in the future for a rematch.

Rakhmonov’s win was largely due to his effective striking and strategic grappling, which allowed him to control significant portions of the fight. Garry showcased resilience and technical skill, especially when he attempted a rear-naked choke in the fifth round that nearly ended the fight. However, Rakhmonov’s composure under pressure enabled him to escape and win the fight.

Originally, Rakhmonov was slated to challenge welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, who withdrew due to a bone infection in his foot. Post-fight, Joe Rogan invited Muhammad to enter the octagon, leading to a respectful faceoff with Rakhmonov. The interaction, though cordial and respectful from both fighters, had mixed reactions from the audience, with some expressing disappointment over the subdued nature of the encounter.

Garry had been slated to fight Colby Covington in Tampa, Florida on the Dec. 14 Fight Night card, but stepped in on short notice to fill in for Muhammad and fight Rakhmonov.

Continuing with the main card, No. 2 ranked Heavyweight Cyril Gane secured his second win over No.3 ranked Alexander Volkov in a back-and-forth fight via split decision. UFC judges Adalaide Byrd and Junichiro Kamijo scored the bout 29-28 in favour of Gane, while Eric Colon had it 29-28 for Volkov.

This decision has ignited significant debate within the mixed martial arts community. UFC President Dana White even said in the post-event press conference that he thought Volkov actually won the fight. The controversy surrounding this bout added to ongoing concerns about judges in combat sports, highlighting the need for consistent and transparent evaluation criteria to ensure fair outcomes.

No. 13 ranked featherweight Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell is back in the win column with a knockout/technical knockout win over Kron Gracie in the third round of their featherweight bout.

Throughout the fight, Gracie consistently tried to pull Mitchell into his guard but Mitchell stayed composed and capitalized in the third round when he power-slammed Gracie, who had tried to pull guard, then followed up with a series of devastating punches and elbows that ended the fight.

Mitchell showed class in his post fight octagon interview, publicly apologizing to Joe Rogan for insulting him earlier in the year while also showing respect to Kron Gracie and the famous Gracie family. “That’s a Gracie and we wouldn’t be standing here if his father and grandfather didn’t drip blood in this Octagon for us,” said Mitchell, continuing “and I love that dude (Kron Gracie), and yall (fans) show him his respect, that’s a Gracie!”

The main card opened with featherweight Doo Ho Choi delivering a commanding performance, securing a third-round technical knockout over Nate Landwehr. Choi’s onslaught effectively neutralised Landwehr’s offense, culminating in a decisive finish.
In the opening round, Choi established dominance with precise striking, including body shots and elbows in the clinch. He continued to control the fight in the second round, showcasing his grappling skills with successful takedowns and maintaining top position. The bout concluded in the third round when Choi trapped Landwehr in a crucifix position, delivering ground-and-pound that prompted the referee to stop the fight.

This victory is Choi’s second consecutive win in UFC since his return from mandatory military service in the South Korean army and an injury that kept him away from the octagon for a total of four years. In his post fight press conference Choi challenged Bryce Mitchell to a fight.

In the featured preliminary card fight, Dominick Reyes, No. 12 ranked in the light heavyweight division, returned to form with a decisive second-round technical knockout victory over No. 11 ranked Anthony Smith.

Smith has been grieving the recent passing of his longtime friend and coach, Scott Morton. Before the fight, Smith was visibly emotional during his walkout to the octagon. After his loss he said in his post fight octagon interview that he didn’t care about the fight and removed his gloves while also hinting at a possible retirement.
The fight before that, Vicente Luque, ranked No. 8 welterweight, made history, submitting Themba Gorimbo with an anaconda choke in just 52 seconds – the fastest submission in UFC history.

Movsar Evloev, featherweight prospect ranked No. 9, showcased his dominance with a unanimous decision win over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, who is unranked at featherweight. Most fans thought the fight belonged in the main-event card, due to Sterling’s recent championship reign.

Meanwhile, Bryan “The Butcher” Battle, an unranked welterweight who missed weight by over four pounds, barely scraped a victory over No. 15 ranked Randy Brown in a razor-close clash. UFC President Dana White said he had a problem with the way the fight scored.

Unranked Eryk Anders stopped former middleweight champion Chris Weidman with a second-round technical knockout. This defeat adds to Weidman’s recent struggles in the octagon. Since his severe leg injury in 2021, he has secured only one win in his last three fights. At 40 years old, Weidman’s performance has prompted discussions about his future in the sport.

In one of the night’s standout moments, Chase Hooper, an unranked featherweight, extended his winning streak to four by defeating UFC veteran and fan favorite Clay Guida. UFC President Dana White addressed the situation, stating that Weidman, along with fellow veterans Anthony Smith and Clay Guida, should consider retirement following their losses at UFC 310.

Flyweight up-and-comer Joshua Van, currently unranked, continued his ascent with a unanimous decision victory over Cody Durden. Michael Chiesa, No. 14 ranked welterweight, celebrated his 37 birthday in style, securing a first-round submission against Max Griffin.

The card also saw Kennedy Nzechukwu, ranked No. 13 a light heavyweight, deliver a dominant first-round technical knockout against Lukasz Brzeski, cementing his place as a rising contender in the division.

UFC 310 Pantoja vs Asakura delivered a fun night of fights and served as a good last Pay-Per-View for UFC fans. The final event of the year will be a UFC Fight Night on Dec. 14 in Tampa, Florida headlined by a welterweight fight between Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley, closing out a great year of fights from the promotion.