# UFC 310

UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 7, 2024, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Valley, United States.

## Background

A UFC Welterweight Championship bout between current champion Belal Muhammad and undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov was scheduled to headline the event. However due to a bone infection in his foot, Muhammad was forced to withdraw. Rakhmonov instead faced Ian Machado Garry in a five-round title eliminator co-main event.
A UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Alexandre Pantoja and former two-time Rizin Bantamweight Champion (also promotional newcomer) Kai Asakura was scheduled to be the co-headliner, but it was promoted to main event when the original headliner was cancelled.
A heavyweight rematch between former interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Ciryl Gane and former Bellator Heavyweight World Champion Alexander Volkov was expected to take place at UFC 308, but it was moved to this event due to Volkov's knee injury. The pairing previously headlined UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Volkov in June 2021 which Gane won by unanimous decision.
A welterweight bout between former WEC and Strikeforce Welterweight Champion Nick Diaz (also former UFC Welterweight Championship challenger) and Vicente Luque was expected to take place at the event. The pair was previously expected to meet at UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov, but the bout was removed from the event due to travel issues related to Diaz. In turn, Diaz withdrew from the bout due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Themba Gorimbo.
A featherweight bout between former UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling and Movsar Evloev took place at this event. They were originally expected to face each other at UFC 307, but Sterling withdrew due to an injury.
A women's strawweight bout between The Ultimate Fighter: Team Joanna vs. Team Cláudia strawweight winner Tatiana Suarez and former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion Virna Jandiroba was scheduled for this event. However, Suarez reportedly withdrew from the fight due to an unspecified health issue and the bout was subsequently removed from the card.
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman and former LFA Middleweight Champion Eryk Anders were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at UFC 309, but Anders withdrew on the day of the event because of food poisoning the night before and the bout was scrapped. They met in a catchweight bout of 195 pounds at this event.
A heavyweight bout between Tallison Teixeira and Łukasz Brzeski was scheduled for this event. However, Teixeira withdrew from the fight due to injury and was replaced by Kennedy Nzechukwu.
In addition, Martin Buday and Rizvan Kuniev were scheduled to meet in a heavyweight bout. However, Buday withdrew due to an injury and the bout was removed from the card.
At the weigh-ins, The Return of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Volkanovski vs. Team Ortega middleweight tournament winner Bryan Battle weighed in at 175 pounds, four pounds over the welterweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Battle was fined 30 percent of his purse which went to his opponent Randy Brown.

## Results

* ↑ For the UFC Flyweight Championship.
* ↑ UFC Welterweight title eliminator.

## Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.
* Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
* Performance of the Night: Alexandre Pantoja, Vicente Luque, Chase Hooper, and Kennedy Nzechukwu