5 takeaways from UFC 310: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura
The final UFC pay-per-view of 2024 went down last night in Las Vegas. There were high expectations for it, and it's safe to say that the event lived up to those expectations.
UFC 310: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura featured a number of wildly entertaining fights, violent finishes and some surprising moments, too.
With no real letdown moments, this was an event that stands up there with the best of the year overall.
Here are five takeaways from UFC 310: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura.
#5. Three losing veterans should heed Dana White's words and hang up their gloves
In his press conference following UFC 310 last night, Dana White was quick to call for the retirement of three longtime veterans who fell to defeat in Las Vegas.
White stated that Clay Guida, Chris Weidman and Anthony Smith should all hang up their gloves, and based on their performances last night, it's hard to disagree.
Guida, who has been with the promotion since 2006, was dispatched via armbar by Chase Hooper with relative ease in the first round. Former middleweight kingpin Weidman fell to Eryk Anders, suffering another TKO stoppage in the process.
Smith, meanwhile, was stopped by a resurgent Dominick Reyes after his second round takedown attempt was blocked and turned into a series of shots to the head.
None of the three looked truly capable of winning their fights, and given the high standards they once competed at - Smith was a title challenger in 2019 and Guida was once a top-five ranked 155 pounder - it was sad to see.
Whether these three veterans do decide that now is the time to step away from MMA, of course, is another thing entirely. Due to the often low payouts received by even top fighters, the sport is a difficult one to walk away from.
Regardless, though, even if any of the three choose to continue, it's unlikely we'll see them in the UFC again.
#4. Can Doo Ho Choi get back into contention at 145 pounds?
One of last night's more impressive performances came from featherweight Doo Ho Choi in the main card opener.
Choi, who at the age of 33, ought to consider a change to his 'Korean Superboy' nickname, dismantled the tough Nate Landwehr. He stopped 'Nate the Train' with a barrage of shots from the mounted crucifix in the third round.
Landwehr was not ranked in the top fifteen at 145 pounds coming into last night's event. However, he probably wasn't that far off. So does this win signify that Choi can climb back into contention?
In all honesty, the signs are good. Not only did this win give him his first back-to-back victories since 2016, but he looked more patient and poised than he did in his earlier, wilder days.
Sure, he's not a young prospect any more, but the lengthy layoffs he's had across his career might mean he's retained some of his durability more than other fighters his age.
Based on this, then, assuming he can stay healthy, Choi could be a man to watch in 2025.
#3. Ciryl Gane probably shouldn't have beaten Alexander Volkov - it's time to book a third fight between them
It seems like every UFC event features at least one fight that ends with a controversial call from the judges. Last night's show was no different, as Ciryl Gane's win over Alexander Volkov left many fans scratching their heads.
The Frenchman pretty much whitewashed 'Drago' in their first meeting back in 2021, but that wasn't the case last night.
Gane did get off to a good start, clearly winning a first round that saw him outstrike Volkov and even come close with a late guillotine choke.
However, his Russian foe appeared to take over in the last two rounds, outstriking 'Bon Gamin' in the second before largely controlling him on the ground in the third.
In the end, though, two of the three judges went for Gane, giving him a split decision and leaving some fans up in arms. Longtime judge Adelaide Byrd, in particular, came under fire for her scorecard.
So was this a robbery? Not entirely, as the second round wasn't a whitewash for Volkov by any means. However, it was definitely a contentious call, and the only way forward ought to be a trilogy fight between the two men in 2025.
#2. Shavkat Rakhmonov is the top contender at welterweight, but Ian Machado Garry has nothing to be ashamed of
While it wasn't the headline bout, Shavkat Rakhmonov's five-round clash with Ian Machado Garry was arguably UFC 310's most highly anticipated bout.
In the end, the clash, a de facto #1 contender's fight between two unbeaten fighters, delivered the goods big time.
It was largely a tactical bout early on, with Rakhmonov getting the best of the first two rounds, which were quite slow-paced.
The third round, though, saw Garry come on strong, punishing the legs of 'The Nomad' with a series of kicks that allowed him back into the fight.
Rakhmonov extended his lead in the fourth round with a pair of takedowns and a lot of control and ground strikes. Incredibly, though, when he appeared to be almost beaten, 'The Future' almost stole the fight in the fifth.
He managed to take Rakhmonov's back and came inches away from finishing him off with a rear naked choke, only for 'The Nomad' to miraculously escape.
In the end, Rakhmonov showed exactly why most fans believe he stands a good chance of dethroning current welterweight champ Belal Muhammad.
By taking him the distance for the first time in his career, though, Garry showed that he belongs at the top, too. The Irishman has nothing to be ashamed of, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see a rematch between these two - perhaps for the title - in the future.
#1. Alexandre Pantoja showed Kai Asakura a whole new level in the latter's UFC debut
UFC 310 marked the first time that a fighter had made their octagon debut in a title fight since Joe Soto fought for the bantamweight title in 2014.
Unfortunately for Kai Asakura, he could not become the first fighter to claim gold in his first UFC bout. Instead, the Japanese star fell to flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja, and found himself choked unconscious in the second round.
Realistically, the former RIZIN titleholder was shown an entirely different level of fighting by 'The Cannibal', who may have been a little undervalued coming into the bout.
Many observers felt that Asakura's sharp counterstriking and big power would prove to be too much for the Brazilian veteran, who has fought in nothing but wars in recent years.
However, Pantoja eased through the fight, claiming a competitive first round before sinking the fight-ending choke in the second.
Asakura will likely go Into a fruitful career with the UFC. He's clearly got a lot of talent, probably felt a ton of pressure on his shoulders last night, and was up against the best in the world.
However, the bout was more evidence that the UFC is absolutely where the best fighters ply their trade these days, and even a somewhat overlooked champion like Pantoja is still an unbelievable talent.