Fight week for the UFC 310 pay-per-view this Saturday has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.
Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura and the co-main event between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry.
Saturday’s UFC 310 lineup is topped by a championship clash, with flyweight kingpin Pantoja (28-5) looking to add a third successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a memorable victory over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 in July 2023.
If “The Cannibal” is to continue his rule atop the 125-pound mountain, he must stall the title ambitions of a UFC newcomer in Asakura (21-4). The former Rizin bantamweight champ marks a rare example of a debuting fighter competing for gold inside the Octagon, which he'll enter off the back of consecutive knockouts of Yuki Motoya and Juan Archuleta.
Before those two collide in the main event at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena, the stakes will also be high for a crucial five-round welterweight clash.
After an infection resulted in UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad's withdrawal from his scheduled defense against Rakhmonov (18-0), some matchup shuffling has seen Garry (15-0) drafted in to face his fellow undefeated contender.
While "Nomad" recently got the better of Stephen Thompson by way of submission, "The Future" outpointed Michael "Venom" Page during International Fight Week this past summer. They'll now look to secure top contender status heading into 2025 to ensure they'll be standing across from champ Muhammad following his recovery.
Ahead of those two contests in "Sin City," fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 310 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.