Daniel Cormier has joined many fight fans in critiquing the staredown between UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, describing the moment as underwhelming.
The faceoff took place after Rakhmonov’s victory over Ian Garry, which positioned him as the next contender for Muhammadās title. The originally planned headliner between “Remember the Name” and “Nomad” was canceled after the champ withdrew due to a toe infection.
When Muhammad was finally allowed inside the Octagon for the staredown, the interaction remained respectful, which Cormier felt lacked the intensity needed to hype the fight.
āIāve got to be honest. It was weird,ā Cormier said on his YouTube channel. āI donāt love faceoffs when you have a translator, especially when Belal, as much as people want to hate him, heās not a disrespectful guy. So it doesnāt make that moment that youāre looking for when you bring a champion into the ring.ā
Cormier compared the moment to other notable post-fight interactions, highlighting the promotional value that was missing.
āWhen (Alexander Volkanovski) came in after (Ilia) Topuria beat Max (Holloway), they shook hands and they left. It was very respectful. But you understood what they were saying. When (Sean) OāMalley was in there, and he was about to fight Aljo (Aljamain Sterling) for the belt, Merab (Dvalishvili) takes the jacket, that makes a memory. This tonight, I donāt think it served the purpose that you want, as a promotion, in regards to what youāre going to do to try to build that fight.ā
While the staredown was meant to ignite anticipation for their potential title fight, Cormier believes the lack of drama or significant engagement may have fallen short of its promotional goal.
Alex Pereira has shared his thoughts on the ongoing situation involving UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones and his potential next opponent.
Jones has expressed interest in fighting the UFC light heavyweight champ rather than interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall. While “Bones” sees this matchup as the most compelling, UFC CEO Dana White appears less enthusiastic, believing Jones would have a significant advantage over the smaller fighter.
Some fight fans echo Jones’ preference, considering it the best fight to make. Pereira, meanwhile, has welcomed the idea of a showdown with Jones. But should Aspinall get the nod, “Poatan” recently acknowledged the challenges he would face due to Jones’ extensive experience.
āI think Jon Jones has a lot of experience on his side,ā Pereira told TNT Sports. āSome people say, āAspinall this, Aspinall that,ā but it comes down to experience. Jon Jones is a seasoned guy. Heās been there, so I think he wins.ā
Pereira also spoke about his own desire to face Jones.
āEverybody knows my interest in fighting him, and I was happy to see the initiative he had to speak that on the microphone, to express to everybody that he wants to fight me,ā Pereira said. āWe both want it, but it doesnāt come down to us. We have to see what plans the organization has for us.ā
https://youtu.be/WzA8Z6_WIPQ
As the UFC deliberates on Jones’ next fight, the possibility of a clash between two champions continues to fuel speculation and fan debate.
At UFC 310, Chase Hooper earned his fourth consecutive win in the lightweight division by beating a veteran of the sport in Clay Guida. His armbar in the first round saw him continue to put together the best run of his career to date whilst collecting a performance of the night bonus in the process.
As for his opponent, some people (including UFC boss Dana White) believe that it is time for Guida to hang up the gloves. “The Carpenter” has fought 37 times inside the Octagon since making his debut with the promotion all the way back at UFC 64 in 2006. At 43-years old, Guida has lost his last three and his submission loss to Hooper saw him break the promotion’s record for the most losses.
His 19th defeat saw him clear past Jeremy Stephens and Andrei Arlovski who were previously all tied at 18. In a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hooper recapped his second win of 2024.
Hooper also gave his opinion on whether Guida needs to step away at this stage in his career and though he admitted that everyone is different, he did think that there was a certain level of intensity missing from his opponent on Saturday night.
“It’s one of those things where I honestly didn’t feel like, when we were in there, I didn’t feel like he was as hungry for the competition as I was and I think that’s a big piece. I think, I don’t know, I didn’t feel like he was really in there as much as he could be but I think he’s a guy that needs to get pumped up for the fight. I’ll never tell anybody to retire right, I don’t think that’s my business but, you know, what 37 fights in the UFC? I mean I damn sure won’t be doing that when I’m 42. I’d sail off into the sunset but that’s just me.”
"When we were in there, I didn't feel like he was as hungry for the competition as I was…"
UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad made an unexpected attempt to enter the Octagon last Saturday night at UFC 310. He intended to confront Shavkat Rakhmonov, who had just defeated Ian Garry and is now positioned as the next contender for the title.
However, cageside security initially stopped Muhammad, seemingly failing to recognize him and suspecting he might instigate a disturbance. After clarifying the situation, the 170-pound kingpin was eventually allowed into the cage.
Security measures at UFC events have been heightened due to past incidents involving fighters storming the Octagon and provoking altercations. Addressing the confusion, Muhammad explained his side of the story during an interview with The Schmo:
“Yeah, I donāt know, they thought I was gonna do. They thought I was pulling a Merab, like hopping over and going crazy or something like that,ā Muhammad said. āNo, he called me, bro! If someone calls me into the cage, Iām gonna go in there, right? I donāt think (security) heard it, they didnāt realize what was going on ā they thought I was going in to attack him. Iām just like, bro, chill.ā
The tension between Muhammad and Rakhmonov dates back to their originally scheduled matchup in the UFC 310 headliner, which was canceled after Muhammad withdrew due to a toe infection.
Adding to the drama, Leon Edwards responded to the incident on Instagram with a string of crying-laughing emojis under an ESPN post.
Muhammad’s surge to the welterweight mountaintop came at the expense of Edwards this past July. “Remember the Name” outpointed “Rocky” across five rounds in the UFC 304 main event, staged in Manchester, England.
Edwards has vowed to bounce back and regain the gold by the end of 2025. For the time being, though, Muhammad looks set to have his hands full with Rakhmonov before potentially pondering a trilogy with the former champ.
On his The Weekly Scraps Podcast, Aljamain Sterling looked to recap his recent fight at UFC 310 this past weekend. In his second fight at featherweight, the former bantamweight champion lost a close decision to Movsar Evloev who now occupies the #4-ranking at 145-pounds.
Though his prelim bout with the undefeated Russian certainly delivered, there was another major talking point regarding Sterling’s team. His long-time training partner and coach, the bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, got into a heated exchange with a member of the audience inside the T-Mobile Arena.
Buzukja, who last fought in the UFC this past August, detailed his side of the story during the podcast.
āI donāt know if he had touched Merab as we were walking in, but somehow he got Merabās attention and then Merab went and tapped his shoulder and just gave him the finger and then the guy gave him the finger back or whatever, he got all jumpy.
āThen as the fight finished and weāre walking back on the other side, this f****** guy comes across the whole crowd and then goes and, youāve seen the video, he grabs Merabās arm and then says something to him in, I guess Russian or whatever he said, and Merab started going crazy. Then we got into a little physical altercation, but that was really it. So hopefully no charges pressed and we move on.ā
Buzukja went on to say that he had first got involved in the confrontation to dry and diffuse the situation but that quickly changed once he was assaulted.
āI went and approached him and I just put his hand down, I was trying to deescalate and tell him, āYo, calm down, bro. Relax.’ Merab was going away, I just wanted to tell him to relax, have some respect. Then he cracked me first, actually, he cracked me with a nice little left hook and then it was just instinct to hit him back. Then security came in, but part of me is like, āShould I just drop the bucket and just jump over and start swinging?ā Just go full, f****** degenerate, but Iām glad it didnāt happen that way.ā
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was watching closely as two undefeated contenders at 170-pounds met in the co-main event of UFC 310 this past Saturday. Cementing his status as the next title challenger, Shavkat Rakhmonov beat Ian Machado Garry in his first pro win via the scorecards.
Despite taking the fight on a few weeks notice after Belal Muhammad withdrew from his scheduled title defense against Rakhmonov, Garry was able to test the man that many believe to be the boogeyman of the division, so much so that he doesn’t feel like he lost. Later updates on Rakhmonov’s physical health, along with the Irishman’s performance, could be reasons why he didn’t look at his best despite getting the win.
Usman was one of the names that many wanted to see step in to face Rakhmonov on December 7 and Garry has publicly criticized “The Nigerian Nightmare” for not taking fights on multiple occasions. During the latest episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman gave his thoughts on the fight.
Though he said that he doesn’t want to give too much away in case he ends up fighting either man at some point, Usman believes that Rakhmonov and Garry exposed each others weaknesses at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“I am a wrestler. Once Ian got taken down a few times, then the fight kinda got away from him. Shavkat, as far as standing and putting the combinations together, he couldn’t really do that well with Ian Garry. There’s holes in both of their games.”
Despite this, Usman went on to give both men credit for the mentality that they showed in the fight.
“It shows how Shavkat is a dog. He’s willing to just do whatever it takes to get in there and get that win, and so is Ian. It’s just that Shavkat was a little bit more of a dog than Ian Garry.”
2024 has been an incredibly difficult year for UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber. At UFC 299 in March, the #4-ranked contender earned her sixth consecutive win by defeating Katlyn Cerminara via a unanimous decision.
Shortly after, she was hospitalized for nine days due to an illness that doctors couldn’t correctly identify. She later spoke in an interview on The MMA Hour about how at one point, she didn’t think she would be able to overcome this illness, going as far as to call her loved ones because she didn’t think she had much longer to live.
Over time, her energy started to slowly come back but a scheduled return in a main event against Rose Namajunas would come around too quick for her. Barber withdrew from the fight and was replaced by Tracy Cortez, writing on Instagram that after being told that she would be able to compete by July, she didn’t feel like her body was “even close” to being ready for a fight, let alone a five-rounder against a former champion.
In a recent interview with Morning Kombat, Barber gave a positive update on her progress and what it was like to miss out on the fight with Namajunas earlier this year.
“Everything’s going great now. It has been a long journey. I was so bummed when, well first of all, I was so excited to fight Rose because not only was I fighting Rose but I was also fighting in Denver where I made my UFC debut. So for me, it was my first main event, it was a very huge opportunity for me and I was so excited and then I was devastated when I was told, ‘Hey look, you’re not going to fight on this card’. Obviously the health is more important so I was devastated but I have made a lot of progress coming forward and I can’t wait to be back.”
She also gave a planned timeframe for her return and though it still seems far away, especially considering that she was originally booked to face Namajunas this past July, she’s ahead of her previous estimations.
“Yeah, actually I was just messaging with Mick (Maynard) and Hunter (Campbell) called me as well. I’m hoping for April honestly. I mean I know it still is a little ways out but for me, that’s the timeline that I was given and so originally, I thought I was gonna be until July, August of next year but it’s looking more like April.”
Kai Asakura didn’t get the fairy tale UFC debut that he was hoping for this past weekend in Las Vegas. The former two-time RIZIN bantamweight champion was expecting to face top opposition right away after signing to the UFC but due to the current state of the flyweight division, he went straight into a title shot at the last PPV card of 2024.
Though Asakura was calm and composed throughout fight week and showed why he is such an exciting addition in the main event of UFC 310, facing the champion, Alexandre Pantoja, proved to be a step too far for him right now. The Brazilian secured his third consecutive title defense after taking his challenger’s back and choking him out in the second round.
The Japanese star may have come up short but losing to the champion on his debut is only the start of his career in the UFC. With a top 15 ranking now next to his name, the 31-year old can look to build himself back towards the 125-pound gold.
He’s done this before in RIZIN where despite suffering some substantial defeats, Asakura was able to reclaim the bantamweight title in his final fight before signing to the UFC. The title challenger posted a message on Instagram where he thanked his fans and apologized to them.
Despite this latest setback, he states that he isn’t discouraged from his dreams of becoming the champion one day.
“Thank you for all your support. I’m sorry I couldn’t get back with results. Great champions and I was still weak. I didn’t get it this time though I’ll definitely rise up and become a champion. Always have and will keep doing it until I can. I will come back stronger.”
While the Spaniard has been getting plenty of plaudits since becoming the first man to sleep “Blessed” in Abu Dhabi this past October, talk has unsurprisingly turned to what could await him in 2025.
From a rematch with Volkanovski to first-time showdowns with Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev, the latter of whom staked his claim with a victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310 this past weekend, Topuria doesn’t appear short on options.
According to the champ himself, however, those names aren’t enticing enough.
During a recent interview with Spanish radio show El Partidazo de COPE, Topuria dropped a bombshell on his UFC career, suggesting that he’s likely competed at featherweight for the final time and will vacate the belt in order to move up to lightweight.
āThere were talks of Miami, but Iām not sure because there are still some pending conversations,ā Topuria said. āWe need to talk about it and take a look at my future. For me, it is very clear how I want to do it. Iād like to move up to the next weight class.
“Since Islam is the champion fighting in January and wonāt be ready for April or May, Iād like to fight the number one contender right now, whoās Charles Oliveira,” Topuria stated. “Iād like to move up a weight class. … Maybe thereās a change coming. … (It’s) very likely (you’ve seen my last fight at featherweight).ā
“Do Bronx” has outlined his intention to be present at the Intuit Dome when Makhachev and Tsarukyan collide, anticipating that his next opponent will be decided.
Topuria’s plans could throw a curveball into the mix, however. But it remains to be seen if his plan to shockingly end his featherweight stint will be supported by the promotion, especially with growing calls for “El Matador” to defend his gold in Spain next year.
UFC women’s flyweight Manon Fiorot continues to berate Valentina Shevchenko over their expected championship collision.
Fiorot earned her shot this past March when she got the better of Erin Blanchfield in Atlantic City. The result, which came in the Frenchwoman’s maiden main event on MMA’s biggest stage, extended her professional win streak to 12 and perfect UFC record to 7-0.
Having defeated “Cold Blooded,” Rose Namajunas, Katlyn Cerminara and Jennifer Maia consecutively, there’s little doubt over the #2-ranked contender’s place at the front of the queue. But for much of this year, “The Beast” was made to wait as Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso completed their trilogy.
“Bullet” emerged victorious from it at the Sphere, returning to the throne and beginning a second reign as 125-pound queen. Fortunately for the matchmakers, Shevchenko’s first challenge was already seemingly lined up ā and it’s safe to say she’s in a hurry…
Fiorot recently took to social media to express frustration at the ongoing wait for her title chance, tagging Shevchenko and calling for her to either put pen to paper on a bout agreement or hang up her gloves.
@BulletValentina You canāt hide anymore, so sign this contract or retire.
— Manon The Beast FIOROT šØšµ (@ManonFiorot_MMA) December 9, 2024
“@BulletValentina You canāt hide anymore, so sign this contract or retire,” Fiorot wrote.
For now, a date and event for Fiorot’s likely title shot is unclear, but she’ll no doubt be preparing for the her shot at joining Ciryl Gane as only the second French UFC champ ā first to achieve the feat as an undisputed titleholder.
With two championship fights set for both UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 and UFC 312 in Australia the following month, it would appear that the earliest Shevchenko vs. Fiorot could come together is March.
Following a crucial victory at this past weekend’s pay-per-view, UFC welterweight Vicente Luque’s eyes are on those above him at 170 pounds ā unless…
Luque made the walk at UFC 310 off the back of a 2-3 run across his previous five fights and a difficult knockout loss at the hands of Joaquin Buckley earlier this year. With that, his place in the divisional top 15 was at stake.
But while Themba Gorimbo entered his short-notice opportunity to rise the ranks with momentum from four straight wins, “The Silent Assassin” showed that he has plenty left in the tank by putting on an emphatic and dominant performance.
During his post-fight press conference, Luque reflected on his return to the win column inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and looked ahead to what could await him in the new year.
After reiterating his title aspirations, the 33-year-old unsurprisingly outlined his intention to face a name high up the welterweight ladder in 2025. But Luque would entertain one name who is far from being in the championship conversation.
“2025 is that run for the title, and I want that Miami card. I want top 10, but I have an exception,” Luque said. “If Masvidal really wants to step back in there, and he wants to get it done, I would love to have a battle against him.
“I want him as an opponent because I know it’s going to be a war,” Luque continued. “I know that the fans are going to enjoy that, and I know that we both can deliver a battle.”
Masvidal hasn’t competed since a decision defeat to Gilbert Burns at the Miami-held UFC 287 PPV in April 2023. The result, which marked a fourth straight loss for “Gamebred,” was quickly followed by a retirement announcement that many in the community supported.
It remains to be seen who that MMA comeback will come against, but Luque evidently fancies his chances in what would no doubt be one of the more high-profile bouts in his career.
He may not have got the result he wanted at this past weekend’s pay-per-view, but that hasn’t stopped UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry from taking a victory lap of sorts.
During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Garry reflected on his losing performance in “Sin City,” highlighting the difficult circumstances that his first title eliminator in the UFC came in.
Ultimately, aside from having his hand raised, Garry seemingly doesn’t think the night could have gone much better in terms of proving that his self-belief when it comes to beating everyone in his path on MMA’s biggest stage is well placed.
“I went in there on short notice against the scariest man in the division and I made him human,” Garry said. “I proved to the world how talented I am against a guy who they thought was unbeatable. … There’s no argument in my mind that when that fight finished, you can’t sit there and say anything else other than I am the scarier fighter.
“He didn’t beat me anywhere,” Garry continued. “Significant strikes, I won. The grappling exchanges, I was winning; I was defending and shooting down everything he was doing. The gameplan and everything that I had come up (with) and told my team I wanted to do, it worked. It’s a matter of seconds and four to five extra shots, and you’re talking about five rounds in my favor.”
With those comments in mind, the Irishman will evidently be entering 2025 with even more confidence and expectation for himself. First things first, Garry must return to winning ways, and from there, perhaps another chance to secure an opening shot at gold in his UFC career will await.
For the time being, though, focus will be on the UFC 310 co-main event winner as Rakhmonov pursues a second official booking opposite Muhammad in the new year.
Alexandre Pantoja had fight fans buzzing with his performance at UFC 310 and the bold post-fight promo he delivered.
In the main event, Pantoja secured a dominant win by putting Kai Asakura to sleep, successfully defending his flyweight title in the process. However, it was his unexpected callout of former UFC champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson that stole the spotlight.
At the post-fight press conference, “The Cannibal” explained his reasoning behind the challenge, emphasizing both respect and legacy.
“I beat the No. 1, the No. 2 multiple times. The UFC brought me another guy, another champ from across the world, and I finished him. That is the fight that makes sense for me,” Pantoja said. “The flyweight division is so different right now. Back when Demetrious Johnson fought, it was not like this. My last four fights were against a Mexican, Australian, American, and Japanese fighter. Times have changed. Itās so hard to keep this belt now.”
He continued, reflecting on the challenge of maintaining his title in todayās competitive landscape.
“Right now, fighters like me and [Islam] Makhachev have three title defenses. But these are tough times. Itās not like before. All my respect to Demetrious Johnson ā I love him for opening the doors for us. But thatās the fight I want. If you ask me what I want for Christmas, thatās what I want.ā
Johnson, who retired from MMA this past September at ONE 168 after last competing in May 2023, took to X to respond to Pantojaās challenge.
“Guys, I got offered $2 million to fight!! I turned it down. I donāt care to fight anymore,” Johnson wrote.
The former champās response left fans speculating, especially since his retirement announcement came after a successful career capped by years of dominance. It is, however, believed that Johnson remains contractually tied to ONE Championship, where he fought after being traded from the UFC.
Despite “Mighty Mouse’s” apparent disinterest, Pantoja believes the potential fight transcends money, focusing instead on legacy. The reigning flyweight champ wants to prove himself against a legend of the division, saying itās about testing who the better fighter truly is.
The promotion confirmed during this past weekend’s pay-per-view broadcast that Du Plessis will headline February’s UFC 312 event in Sydney, running it back with the man at the expense of whom he won the middleweight belt, the #1-ranked Strickland.
Reacting to that announcement on social media this week, the South African vowed to record a more definitive triumph over the polarizing American former champ.
“This time they won’t call it a robbery, they’ll call it attempted murder. #UFC312 #preparetobeamazed”
The pair first met in Strickland’s sole title defense in Canada, with the then-challenger falling on the right side of a split decision verdict following five rounds of close and competitive action.
While “Tarzan’s” only bout since then saw him emerge victorious from a lackluster contest with Paulo Costa, he’s gotten the nod for a shot at redemption opposite Du Plessis over Khamzat Chimaev, whose own claim to an opportunity gained support after he ran through Robert Whittaker in October.
Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 will top a lineup that features two title fights, the other being a highly anticipated strawweight championship contest between Zhang Weili and the undefeated Tatiana Suarez.
Dominick Reyes continued his resurgence at UFC 310 on Saturday night, earning a second consecutive victory with a TKO win over fellow former title challenger Anthony Smith.
Despite Reyes’ success, the fight was marked by emotional and unusual moments from Smith, who is grappling with the recent loss of one of his coaches and friends.
Smith entered the Octagon visibly affected, crying throughout his walkout. His emotions carried into the fight, leading to an unusual mid-fight moment that Reyes discussed at the post-fight press conference.
“When I went into the cage ā I havenāt been around Anthony much in my life, for the record ā but I could see he was emotional,” Reyes said. “Thatās a dangerous man. Heās said it himself: heās fighting for a friend, and he doesnāt care about the outcome. He just wants to feel something.”
Reyes described a surprising exchange in the first round when Smith dropped his hands and asked him to punch him.
After the fight, “Lionheart” hinted at the possibility of retirement, a sentiment echoed by UFC CEO Dana White, who suggested it might be time for Smith to step away. The veteran light heavyweight has now lost two consecutive fights, including a decision defeat to Roman Dolidze at UFC 303.
“There was a point in the first round when he put his hands down and just said, āPunch me in the face,ā and I obliged. Thatās my job. My job is to finish you and get you out of there, whether youāre going through something or not. If youāre going to give me free shots, Iām going to hit you. We are professional fighters, and itās a very dangerous game. God bless Anthony.”
šš£ āHE PUT HIS HANDS DOWN AND TOLD ME TO PUNCH HIM IN THE FACEā
Dominick Reyes says Anthony Smith purposely put his hands down during their fight and told him to punch him in the face because he wanted to feel something.#UFC310pic.twitter.com/Ph6hUSnSAg
Reyes, for his part, acknowledged the difficulty Smith is facing but reiterated his own focus.
“Losing someone is never easy; Iāve lost people this year as well, and itās terrible. Iām glad he got to come out and be the warrior that he is ā this is his outlet,” Reyes said. “My job is to win and give my best performance, and thatās all I was focused on. Whatever youāre going through, when the door closes, itās wartime.”
Smithās future in MMA remains uncertain, but his emotional journey at UFC 310 highlighted the deeply personal battles fighters often face outside the cage.
Ciryl Gane secured a split decision victory over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310, marking his second consecutive win since his title fight loss to Jon Jones. However, the Frenchman expressed dissatisfaction with his performance due to an apparent injury sustained early in the bout.
In the first round, Gane injured multiple toes on his left foot during his initial teep kick. This inssue significantly impacted his fighting style, limiting his mobility and effectiveness in both striking and grappling exchanges. He elaborated on this during the post-fight press conference.
“My first teep. You see, this changes a lot of my style because I love to be on my feet and be fast, in and out, land my jab. So I was really focused on it.”
Ciryl Gane shows an X-ray of his foot injury after the Alexander Volkov fight š³
āIt wasn't just my toe, but also both metatarsals that gave way at the start of the first round. Needless to say, there was no foot left, but we didn't give up and fought with them.ā
The toe injury compelled Gane to alter his strategy, opting to grapple more with Volkov. However, the injury hindered his ability to push off his foot, reducing the effectiveness of his grappling techniques.
“I was frustrated about my fight because of this. I was frustrated because I started my training in July for this fight, and you started your fight like this. Like the first second you land.”
Looking ahead, Gane expressed a desire to return to action promptly but acknowledged the necessity of allowing his toes to heal fully before resuming training.
The victory over Volkov was also not without controversy.
The split decision was met with boos from the crowd, and even UFC CEO Dana White believed Volkov deserved the win. Gane himself appeared uncertain of the outcome, as he began to exit the Octagon in disappointment immediately after the result was announced.
This fight was a rematch of their 2021 encounter, which Gane won via unanimous decision. Since then, both fighters have experienced different trajectories, with “Bon Gamin” competing for UFC gold three times and “Drago” steadily climbing the rankings.
Gane’s recent performances, including this contentious win, have sparked discussions among fans and analysts about his standing in the heavyweight division and potential future matchups.
This result saw Rakhmonov’s 100% finishing rate come to an end as he went to the scorecards for the first time in his pro career. His output is largely what won him three of the five rounds on the scorecards as he landed some effective strikes and grappled with Garry without ever really putting him in serious danger.
In fact, it was the Irishman that had the best moment of the fight after he took his opponent’s back in the fifth round and tried to lock up the rear-naked choke. Garry has received a lot of credit in the aftermath of the fight and rightfully so but new information also points to a reason why Rakhmonov may have looked far more beatable than in the past.
Daniel Cormier posted his immediate reactions to the fights on his YouTube channel as he reflected on the night’s action whilst still being sat cage-side at the T-Mobile Arena. After saying that he didn’t think Rakhmonov looked at his best on December 7, “DC” states that the Kazakh fighter suffered an injury before the fight which he says may have been a torn MCL.
Though Garry still deserves praise for his performance, this would also make his opponent’s display more impressive considering what he was potentially fighting through. The severity of the injury may also impact the time frame for his welterweight title fight with Belal Muhammad that was originally set to take place at UFC 310.
“Shavkat Rakhmonov did not look like himself even though I learned after that he had an injury, I think he might have torn his MCL going into the fight. Granted, with a torn ligament in your knee, you’re not going to look like the killer that you looked like in fights prior.”
There was also some speculation online that Rakhmonov addressed this during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan but the translator did not relay that information though this isn’t confirmed.
Yea in the post fight it looks like the translator said Shavkat had some issues
One of the stand out performances from UFC 310 this past weekend came from Dooho Choi in the main card opener. “The Korean Superboy” produced his best performance to date inside the Octagon with a dominant victory against Nate Landwehr.
His boxing was incredibly effective early on and after implementing his grappling, Choi was able to shut Landwehr out before capping off his performance with a TKO finish in the third round from the crucifix position. Having earned back-to-back wins inside the Octagon in 2024 for the first time since 2016, the Korean stand out is well and truly back in the mix at 145-pounds.
In his post-fight interview, Choi called out a fellow featherweight who would be competing in the very next bout on the card. After Bryce Mitchell finished Kron Gracie to return to the win column, the 33-year old posted the following message on Instagram, making reference to Mitchell’s opinions on the earth being flat.
Fight fans reacted on social media to this creative callout that went above and beyond the usual post-fight interview question that was poised by Joe Rogan at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“my new favourite ufc call out, Doo Hoo Choi calls out Bruce Mitchell”
Themba Gorimbo appears to be in good spirits following the second loss of his UFC career this past weekend in Las Vegas. After Nick Diaz withdrew from his fight with Vicente Luque at UFC 310, the Brazilian needed a new opponent for his second fight of 2024.
Gorimbo stepped up and looked to earn the biggest win of his career whilst extending his current winning streak inside the Octagon to five. Instead, the welterweight staple was able to produce the fastest finish on the card where after dropping his opponent, Luque locked up an anaconda choke to get the submission victory inside the opening minute of their prelim bout.
The 33-year old contender from Zimbabwe has since posted his reaction to the fight on social media where he has been able to take the positives from this latest setback. Alongside a video on Instagram, he wrote the following caption:
“My little dream story, itās crazy life sometimes you the nail man. 2024 was and a good year for my career 3-1 in ufc in 10 months that was something to be thankful for. Busiest year of my career. Learn and grow from this.”
In the video, Gorimbo details what the experience was like of being choked out and waking up inside the Octagon with no recollection of what had just happened.
“One of the craziest things that happen in my career was Yesterday man. Woke up from like a little dream land, boom, open my eyes, see a black guy and a white guy. I’m like, ‘Damn! Where am I?’ and they were like, ‘The fight is over Themba’, the black guy said. The white guy said ‘Stay down’, I guess he was the doctor. I’m like, ‘Hold up, let me up, where am I?’ and then I’m like ‘Oh coach, is the fight done? Damn!’. Yeah man, one of the craziest moments of my career. It’s funny what happened, it happens man. Honestly like, I worked hard. My entire career I’ve always worked hard. For this fight camp, I worked hard. There’s things that I can fix, there’s things definitely that needs to be adjusted. Some healing need to be done… No excuse. Luque caught me with a good one. That was so cool man, still in dream land now.”
In the co-main event of UFC 310, Shavkat Rakhmonov remained undefeated as he became the first man to defeat Ian Machado Garry in a welterweight title eliminator. The five-round contest was also the first time that “Nomad” has been to the scorecards in his pro career.
Coming into December 7 off of a six-fight win streak inside the Octagon, Rakhmonov has earned five submissions and one knockout during his time in the promotion. Despite him still winning three of the five rounds on all three scorecards, Garry was able to keep himself out of danger for the majority of the 25-minutes to make it competitive.
The Irishman may not have come away with the win but in his toughest fight to date on short notice, he proved that he belongs at the elite level and to some, he showed that the boogeyman of the division isn’t unbeatable. In his post-fight press conference, Rakhmonov said that though he’s disappointed to have not got the finish for the first time, he gave credit to his opponent for this.
āWho doesnāt want to finish fights? I did everything in my power to do so, but Ian had a great preparation, but I believe next fight I will continue my finishing streak.ā
Rakhmonov also agreed with Garry’s sentiment that this won’t be the last time that the two former training partners at Kill Cliff FC will meet inside the Octagon. For now, they will go their separate ways as the 19-0 contender moves on to his title fight with Belal Muhammad which was set to take place this past weekend until the champion withdrew several weeks ago.
āWeāre going to keep winning and if he keeps winning, weāre going to meet again.ā
At UFC 310, Merab Dvalishvili appeared to get into a heated confrontation with a fan in the audience whilst he was walking out with his teammate, Aljamain Sterling. The video posted on social media sees the UFC bantamweight champion getting pulled away by security as another member of the corner traded punches with the fan.
Merab Dvalishvili and Aljoās team got into a fight with a fan at UFC 310 š³pic.twitter.com/2W7Ur300KY
Dana White said in his post-fight press conference that he tried his best to keep Dvalishvili separate from Umar Nurmagomedov and his team but he can’t help “The Machine” fighting with fans. In a recent post on his X account, the champion looked to give his account of what happened.
Dvalishvili shared a video of the encounter with a voiceover that claims that the fan wasn’t just a regular ticket buyer who insulted him but is in fact a friend of the likes of Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. The video shows what started the whole thing with the fan tapping Merab as he walks past him, talking to him whilst recording on his phone.
The video also shows several Instagram posts from Nurmagomedov, who will face Dvalishvili for the 135-pound title at UFC 311, from later that day of him and Makhachev being with and seemingly eating dinner with the fan. The same clip also shows older photos of the “fan” alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov and the rest of the team, disputing the idea that Merab got into it with a member of the public who claims that Dvalishvili said something disrespectful about Shavkat Rakhmonov.
The Georgian has had several encounters with fans who provoked him in the past and at the press conference for the UFC’s upcoming PPV card in January, it was clear that the champion felt disrespected by Nurmagomedov and his team.
“More lies, disrespect, and deliberate provocations from Umarās team. Hereās the real story ā¦”
More lies, disrespect, and deliberate provocations from Umarās team. Hereās the real story ā¦ pic.twitter.com/btwTzJrC0D
— Merab āThe Machineā Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) December 8, 2024
The Irishman was originally set to feature in 2024’s final UFC fight next weekend in Tampa, but the withdrawal of champion Belal Muhammad from his scheduled defense on Dec. 7 saw “The Future” agree to a short-notice showdown with a fellow undefeated contender in “Nomad.”
And the pair fought out the kind of competitive battle many had anticipated from two former training partners who had never tasted defeat on the professional stage. Ultimately, one man’s ‘0’ had to go.
While that’s dealt a setback for Garry, he seems far from downbeat in the aftermath of his loss.
During his post-fight press conference, Garry explained why he sees UFC 310 as a victorious night in his career.
āIām humble in victory and in defeatĀ and always have been, and I do not feel like I lost today,” Garry said. “My hand might not have been raised, but I came out and I fought a giant, I came out and I fought the boogeyman, and I showed that heās f*cking human. I went out there on three weeks’ notice and I saved this event. I saved this card against the scariest man in the division and I went out there and I stopped almost everything.
“I showed that I can hang with the single best in the division and I proved tonight that I can absolutely be a champion,” Garry continued. “He won by opinion, and thatās okay, I can live with that, and Iām very happy with my performance tonight.”
Having maintained immense confidence in his abilities and future rise to top spot at 170 pounds, Garry will no doubt look to continue his development in 2025 and bounce back to winning ways.
UFC CEO Dana White offered words of support to Alexander Volkov after the heavyweight contender was controversially beaten by Ciryl Gane at this past weekend’s pay-per-view.
Volkov returned at UFC 310 on Saturday night for his second outing of the year, having extended his winning run to four straight fights with an upset win over Sergei Pavlovich in Saudi Arabia this past June. That result put the Russian up to #3 in the rankings and earned him a shot at avenging his 2021 main event loss to Gane.
Among those who disagreed with the result in an arena filled with boos after the result was the UFC CEO, who engaged in discourse with a clearly baffled and distraught Volkov as he exited the cage.
The moment was captured and posted by ESPN MMA on X.
White told the Russian he was “f*cked” by the judges and that the promotion would try to do right by him.
The result marked Gane’s second victory over the Russian, coming three years on from a more convincing five-round decision over the former Bellator champion. “Bon Gamin” has now won back-to-back fights since a crushing defeat to Jon Jones in March 2023.
While the aftermath of the Dec. 7 card is currently the talk of the town, it wonāt be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the flyweight title picture to the lightweight championship conversation.
AtĀ UFC 311, set for the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Jan. 18, reigning kingpin Islam Makhachev will open his account for the new year, once again in defense of his 155-pound gold. After following his crowning against Charles Oliveira with retentions opposite Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier,Ā the Dagestani will next run it back with top contender Arman Tsarukyan.
Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili looks to defend his gold for the first time since winning it at the expense of Sean O’Malley. In his way of a continued reign will be the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.
ProchƔzka, Moicano, de Ridder, Set The Stage For High-Profile Headliners At UFC 311
Before Makhachev and Dvalishvili defend their belts, a number of other notable names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major UFC 311 card.
And opening the UFC 311 main card will be promotional newcomer Reinier de Ridder. The former two-division ONE championship titleholder debuted this past November in a grueling clash with Gerald Meerschaert at the Apex. If he’s to move to 2-0 in the Octagon, the Dutchman must add to the woes of Kevin Holland, who most recently fell to an injury TKO loss opposite Roman Dolidze.
Those pairings have currently gotten the nod to feature on the main card over ranked light heavyweights Johnny Walker and Bogdan Guskov, as well as a top 10 heavyweight bout between Jailton Almeida and Serghei Spivac.
See below for the full UFC 311 card, as it stands.
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
JiÅĆ ProchĆ”zka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (lightweight)
Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
Preliminary Card:
Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
Fight fans ā and even UFC CEO Dana White ā are drawing comparisons between former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and current bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili, albeit with a twist.
Dvalishvili is being dubbed the “mini-Strickland,” but āwithout the mouth,ā according to White.
The Georgian is set to make his first title defense against undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 on Jan. 18, 2025. However, his antics outside the octagon are grabbing the headlines.
At UFC 310 on Saturday night, Dvalishvili was involved in an altercation with a fan after cornering Aljamain Sterling for his bout against Movsar Evloev. Security stepped in to separate “The Machine” from the fan, but the situation escalated when the fan began exchanging punches with another member of Sterlingās coaching team, UFC featherweight Dennis Buzukja.
Addressing the incident during the UFC 310 post-fight press conference, White expressed both exasperation and resignation.
āHeās my mini-Strickland ā without the mouth,ā White said of Dvalishvili. āWhat do you do? Let him buy the pay-per-view, I guess. You canāt keep fighting with f*cking fans. You can do it, but itās going to cost you a lot of money. I say it all the time: weāre in the f*cking fight business. This happens. Weāve got to deal with it.ā
This isnāt Dvalishviliās first clash with fans. In August, he confronted a heckler during the Craig Jones Invitational in Las Vegas, climbing into the audience to address the situation.
At the UFC 311 on-sale press conference this week, White admitted he had to keep an eye on Dvalishvili after noticing another fan taunting him from the crowd.
