After a toe infection to Belal Muhammad forced the UFC welterweight champion out of UFC 310, the Dec. 7 card now has an answer to who will be headlining.
Per an announcement from UFC CEO Dana White that dropped during Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, intended title challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov will no longer be competing in the main event of UFC 310.
Tha Kazakh star has instead been moved to the co-main event slot and will face fellow undefeated contender Ian Garry in a five-round, non-title fight.
The UFC flyweight championship match between champion Alexandre Pantoja and his latest challenger, debutant Kai Asakura, has been promoted to the new UFC 310 main event.
Furthermore, as a result of Garry competing at UFC 310, Colby Covington will be filling in for him in the UFC Tampa main event on Dec. 14 against the Irishman’s originally booked opponent, Joaquin Buckley.
Garry Replaces Muhammad In UFC 310 Bout vs. Rakhmonov, Pantoja vs. Asakura Promoted To Main Event
Rakhmonov became next in line for the welterweight title after his finish of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, as well as Muhammad’s title win against Leon Edwards at UFC 304. But “Nomad” will now have to put his shot on the line in a matchup with Garry.
The Irish rising star has fought twice in 2024, earning decision wins over Geoff Neal in February and Michael “Venom” Page four months later.
Garry and Covington, meanwhile, had been linked to face one another over the course of the last year due to intense hatred between the two seen across social media. “Chaos,” however, has previously stated that he does not feel “The Future” deserves a fight with him.
Covington is also on the outside looking in of the welterweight title picture, having not fought since his own disappointing outing against Edwards at UFC 296 last year.
Buckley, on the other hand, has won five straight, most recently knocking out “Wonderboy” at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City just last month.
