We're only days away from UFC 309, and now that impressions have settled, you'll understand that it's time to move toward talking about UFC 310. Only a few weeks ago, it was expected that this event would be headlined by Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov. The former had to withdraw because he was suffering from a grave bone infection. While Belal should be good to go in no time, there's no chance he'll be ready for UFC 310.
This unfortunate turn of events forced the UFC to change its card. Now, we have a flyweight bout headlining the event. No fan of MMA should be disappointed, as Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura will be a treat for all fans of good fighting. Now that you know that the main card was changed, let's talk about the date and time of this event. Luckily, the entire UFC 310 event organization is going according to plan, and there were no changes in timing and location.
UFC 310 - When & Where?
Time flies fast in the world of UFC. Event number 310 is scheduled for December 8th. We're three weeks out, and the heat is slowly rising. Regarding heat, you can expect a warm atmosphere as the event is scheduled at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. It is an unparalleled spectacle whenever Las Vegas is home to a UFC event. These days, you can bet freely online, but the odds hit differently when you approach MMA and UFC betting from the LV ground. It simply hits closer to home, aren't we right?
Top Names at UFC 310 Card
Despite having the main card postponed, this event still has a number of top fighters in the draw. Indeed, no one at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas or watching at home on streaming platforms will be disappointed with the show Dana White and UFC have prepared. We're going to list just a few top names, and we're sure you'll be immediately hooked on this event.
Alexandre Pantoja
The Flyweight division has Alexandre Pantoja's name written all over it. The Brazilian ace is in a good run of form, winning his last six bouts. If you don't think that number is impressive, you're wrong. During those six fights, he defended the title of flyweight twice. He also amassed two performance of the night bonuses. Add another fight of the night bonus to the list. The Cannibal is as authentic as they come. Pantoja is praised for his durability and heart, which made him one of the mainstays of the UFC in recent years. Alexandre is tough as nails, and despite winning his title by a split decision, no one is taking him down with ease.
Kai Asakura
Asakura has made a name for himself in Rizin, where he is a former two-time bantamweight champion. UFC 310 bout against Pantoja marks his UFC debut. He couldn't have wished for a better challenge than his first outing in a new company. During his MMA career, Kai has amassed 21 wins with only 4 defeats. Out of those numbers, he won 13 bouts in Rizin, while his only 4 defeats are tied to that promotion. The last two bouts before a transfer to UFC were won by hurting his opponents to the body with his knees. Now that you know both fighters, we're in for so much fun at the UFC 310 main event.
Ciryl Gane
It wouldn't be too hard to imagine Gane headlining this event. After all, he is a big name in the MMA world. In recent times, Cyril has been inactive. During the last year and a half, he only had one fight. In a bout against Serghei Spivac, he won after the second-round TKO. Before that, he lost a title shot against Jon Jones in March of 2023. In the meantime, Gane was on a hiatus, resting, training, and filming for Netflix. His 12-2 record is rather impressive, considering that his two losses have come against Jon Jones and Ngannou. Also, no one should forget his in-ring efficiency, as he ends 50% of his fights with TKO/KO.
Alexander Volkov
Volkov has all the right to be in this position. Alexander is on a four-win streak, which is not an easy feat in the heavyweight division. The latest of his wins was a unanimous decision against Pavlovich. He was an underdog against Pavlovich, but that was a wrong overview by people creating UFC fight card picks, as he was already coming in strong after wins against Tuivasa, Romanov, and Rozenstruik. Volkov is an experienced fighter whose 38-10 record speaks for itself. His four UFC defeats came against top opponents, so he should not be underestimated by Gane and the MMA general public.
Fight Card & Betting Odds
UFC 310 will have some interesting matches, both in-ring and from a betting perspective. It's only fair that we cover the biggest ones and get you interested in everything that UFC 310 has to offer. Let's start with the main card.
Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Asakura
As we already said, the main event was meant to be a duel between Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov. After cancellation occurred due to Belal's injury, the main event was replaced with the Pantoja vs. Asakura duel. The old-school UFC fighter will face the newcomer in a UFC 310 main event.
If you've already checked out the odds at Stake.com, you know that Pantoja has been set as the favorite. This is no surprise, as Asakura is a new name in the UFC. If we look at fighting logic, which often fails us, it is important to notice that during his Rizin time, Kai lost to Kape, the same fighter Pantoja took out with ease. So, by looking at their previous opponents, The Cannibal still remains a favorite for this one.
Furthermore, history is on Alexandre Pantoja's side. There have been four instances where a newcomer was put directly into the title fight. Not even once has a rookie won it. Asakura is a talented fighter, without a doubt, but everything is going against him right now. A bet on Pantoja's win is paid by 1.41 odds, while a bet on Asakura is set at odds of 2.95.
Ciryl Gane vs Alexander Volkov
Gane has a unique quality to his style and has proved his worth once again during his latest outing vs. Serghei Spivac. Despite a KO/TKO win, we still can't forget how easily he lost a title fight against Jon Jones. A defeat that left a bitter taste in every fan's mouth. Everyone who is even remotely into MMA has noticed how easily he was taken down and submitted in the aftermath of a title fight. Because of this, we can already tell that Volkov plans to mimic Jones' approach. Gane will look for a win in his striking, but a weak ground game could be his executioner.
The one good thing about the Cyril Gane is that his opponent, Alexander Volkov, could be a better wrestler. Because of this, Gane is still a favorite to win this match. In essence, we're going to have a fight between two heavy hitters. This is not bad news for MMA fans, and if you're looking for a good underdog story at UFC 310, try your luck with a bet on Volkov, which is covered by 2.95 odds, while a win on Cyril Gane is paid by relatively lower 1.41 odds.
Aljamain Sterling vs. Movsar Evloev
Just as it appeared that we would never see this bout, the UFC 310 event came our way. This match was first scheduled for UFC 307 but was canceled due to Sterling's injury. We finally have a date and time, and it is hard to see what these two men can bring to the octagon. Luckily for all the fans, the duel wasn't outright canceled, but it was moved down the road. We're now at that crossroads.
Sterling had an illustrious career so far, capturing a bantamweight title at one point. He moved to featherweight after his most recent defeat against Sean O'Malley at UFC 292. At UFC 300, he was much better and won against Calvin Kattar. If we look solely at the 145-pound division, he is their #9 fighter.
Evloev, as he is now, will be an actual test for Sterling. His rise through the featherweight rankings can be described only as meteoric. His pre-UFC record stood at 18-0-0. As if that was enough, the man entered the UFC and added another 8 wins. No defeats! Back in January at UFC 297, he simply dominated Arnold Allen and got a unanimous win as clear as they get. He is currently the #6 fighter in the featherweight division, with high expectations that this position will rise after UFC 310. Movsar is favored to win this bout with 1.44 odds, but we wouldn't write off Sterling, whose chances to win are pinpointed at 2.80 odds.
Randy Brown vs. Bryan Battle
The welterweight division is again rising, thanks to Randy Brown and Bryan Battle. The two men will fight off at UFC 310 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and they couldn't have wished for a better stage. While the fight was in doubt, both fighters quickly confirmed it on social media. Battle is having a great start to his UFC career with a 6-1 score, while his entire MMA career has him standing on 11-2. At UFC Fight Night 243, he earned a Performance of the Night bonus with a knockout against Kevin Jousset. All his last four wins were finishes, and nothing less was expected of an Ultimate Fighter winner.
Brown, on the other hand, is a bit more experienced. He has a 19-5 MMA record and a 13-5 standing in the UFC. Interestingly, he's been fighting better and better as time goes on, as he has seven wins in his last eight bouts. He's also coming off a Performance of the Night bonus after knocking out Muslim Salikhov in February and after a unanimous win against Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos at UFC 302. Currently, Bryan Battle is the favorite with his odds at 1.56, while Randy Brown's win pays with 2.55 odds.
Tallison Teixeira vs. Łukasz Brzeski
Heavyweight division never sleeps, and Tallison Teixeira vs. Łukasz Brzeski is proof of that. These men fight on December 8th, and while their fight is overshadowed by the ones we already listed, their styles promise a lot of fun for the spectators. Teixeira is a massive human standing at 6-foot-7, and he's already a big name in the UFC even before making his debut. During week 6 of Dana White's Contender Series, he knocked out Arthur Lopes and secured his UFC contract. Tallison is undefeated as a pro, holding a 6-0 record. A knockout master in his own right, he managed to end all his fights in the first round.
Łukasz Brzeski is nowhere near a stellar fighter, starting his UFC career with four defeats and only one win. On April 6th, during UFC Fight Night 240, he managed to win against Valter Walker by a unanimous decision. At UFC 304, he lost against Mick Parkin, and at 32 years of age, he is a heavy underdog in his bout against Tallison Teixeira, with his odds standing at 4.30. A surefire win on the Brazilian rising star Teixeira pays with 1.25 odds.
Summary
In over three weeks, we will have UFC 310 on our hands. If there are no more cancellations, the fights we listed above will have all the attention in Las Vegas, Nevada. T-Mobile Arena is ready to once more be a home for some of the top fighters in the UFC. From flyweight to heavyweight, we're in for some exciting bouts. While Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Asakura is the headliner for the night, we wouldn't be surprised if Aljamain Sterling vs. Movsar Evloev or Randy Brown vs. Bryan Battle took the spotlight.