Alexandre Pantoja showcased his dominance yet again, securing a second-round submission victory over newcomer Kai Asakura to retain his flyweight title in the main event of UFC 310 on Sunday (PST) in Las Vegas.
With this victory, Pantoja (29-5) extended his winning streak to seven and notched his third successful title defense.
The opening round saw a cautious approach from both fighters, with Pantoja landing 32 significant strikes compared to Asakura’s 17. Asakura attempted a flying knee early on but failed to make a lasting impact. The end came swiftly in the second round when Pantoja capitalized on an opening, forcing Asakura to tap out.
Kai Asakura (21-5), a two-time RIZIN bantamweight champion, had vacated his belt in June to join the UFC, but the step up in competition proved to be a steep challenge.
Shavkat Rakhmonov Outlasts Ian Machado Garry in Welterweight Thriller
In the co-main event, Shavkat Rakhmonov maintained his perfect record with a unanimous decision victory over Ian Machado Garry.
The tightly contested bout ended with identical scores of 48-47 from all three judges, marking the first time Rakhmonov had gone the distance in his career. Rakhmonov (19-0) showcased his endurance and versatility, overcoming Garry’s relentless striking to secure the win.
With this victory, Rakhmonov is now set to face welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in a highly anticipated title clash.
Muhammad, who attended the fight, was initially scheduled to face Rakhmonov but withdrew due to a foot injury sustained during training.
Ian Machado Garry (15-1) suffered the first loss of his career but delivered a commendable performance against the undefeated Kazakh fighter.
Key Results from UFC 310
| Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura | 2nd-round submission |
| Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Garry | unanimous decision |
| Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov | split decision |
| Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie | 3rd-round TKO |
| Doo Ho Choi def. Nate Landwehr | 3rd-round TKO |
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