Tag: Kai Asakura

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Dec. 10: Alexandre Pantoja surges in pound-for-pound

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC 310.

UFC 310 took place Saturday in Las Vegas and the promotion’s flyweight champion made a statement in the marquee.

Titleholder [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] made it look relatively easy against debuting Japanese star [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag], as he notched another title defense. Pantoja submitted Asakura by second-round rear-naked choke. As a result, Pantoja jumped a massive five spots in the USA Today/MMA Junkie rankings.

Additionally, contenders [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] and [autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] inched upward as a result of their impressive wins over Ian Machado Garry and Aljamain Sterling.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

UFC 310 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: 2024 total passes $8 million

The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program has now paid out more than $8 million to athletes in 2024 under the Venum deal.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 310 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $368,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 310 took place at T-Mobile Arena. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The full UFC 310 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Kron Gracie[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Dooho Choi[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Bryan Battle[/autotag]: $6,000
[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Eryk Anders[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Joshua Van[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Cody Durden[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Max Griffin[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $6,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $8,072,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $30,809,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura live updates, results, round-by-round coverage of every fight

Check out live round-by-round updates and official results from UFC 310 in Las Vegas.

UFC 310 took place Saturday, and MMA Junkie provided live round-by-round coverage and official results. The event (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+) took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas,

In the headliner, flyweight champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) put his title on the line against promotional debutant [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC). The co-feature was a welterweight title eliminator between [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC).

Below, you can find live round-by-round coverage and official results.

UFC 310 results

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:05 – to defend flyweight title
  • Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
  • Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie via KO (elbow) – Round 3, 0:39
  • Dooho Choi def. Nate Landwehr via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 3, 3:21

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:46
  • Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 1, 0:52
  • Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Bryan Battle def. Randy Brown via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:51
  • Joshua Van def. Cody Durden via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)
  • Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:53
  • Chase Hooper def. Clay Guida via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:41
  • Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Lukasz Brzeski via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:51

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura

Round 1 – Hard leg kick by Pantoja. Flying knee by Asakura! Pantoja clinches. Pantoja clips Asakura with a left hand! He partly takes down Asakura, but Asakura gets back up and presses Pantoja agaisnt the cage. Pantoja gets a takedown. Asakura gets back to his feet and back to striking. Hard leg kicks by Asakura. Three minutes left. Knee to the body by Asakura! Nice combo by Pantoja. Left hook connects for Asakura. Jab by Pantoja. Hard leg kick by Pantoja. Pantoja with a nice knee during a scramle. Final minute. Body kick by Pantoja. Good combo by Pantoja. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Pantoja.

Round 2 – Nice jab by Pantoja. Pantoja closes the distance and partly takes the back of Asakura while stainding. They’re in a bit of a stalemate by the cage. Pantoja jumps on Asakura’s back and takes it! They’re on the gorund. Pantoja sinks in the body triangle. Pantoja sinks in the rear-naked choke! He puts him to sleep! It’s over!

Result: Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:05 – to defend flyweight title
Recap: Alexandre Pantoja chokes out Kai Asakura, calls Demetrious Johnson out of retirement
Photos: Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC), Asakura (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Jason Herzog

Ian Machado Garry vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Round 1 – Rakhmonov takes the center of the cage and pressures Machado Garry. Rakhmonov closes the distance and presses Machado Garry against the cage. Rakhmonov controlling Machado Garry. No damage here. Three minutes left. Rakhmonov working hard for the takedown, but Machado Garry defending well. Rakhmonov struggling to get the takedown. Knees to the legs by Rakhmonov.  Great control by Rakhmonov against the cage, but little damage being done. Machado Garry briefly reverses the position, but gets reversed. Final minute. They break. Leg kick by Machado Garry. Big right hand by Rakhmonov! They clinch again. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Rakhmonov.

Round 2 – Rakhmonov takes the center of the octagon once again. Leg kicks by Machado Garry from the outside. Jab by Machado Garry. Still jab by Rakhmonov and then a right hand. Another hard jab by Rakhmonov. Three minutes left. Very technical and slow fight. Bight right hook by Rakhmonov! Machado Garry presses Rakhmonov against the cage. Knee by Machado Garry. Rakhmonov reverses. Two minutes left. Good control here by Rakhmonov, but little damage being done. Machado Garry breaks free with less than 30 seconds left. Leg kick by Machado Garry. Again. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Rakhmonov.

Round 3 – Both guys standing in the middle of the cage. Solid leg kicks by Machado Garry. Leg kick by Machado Garry buckles Rakhmonov. Machado Gary doing much better in this round. Body kick by Machdo Garry. Machado Garry presses Rakhmonov against the cage, but gets reversed. Good control here by Rakhmonov, but little damage. The referee breaks them up and back to striking. Nasty oblique kick by Machado Garry. They trade jabs. Stiff jab by Rakhmonov. Big right hand by Rakhmonov. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Machado Garry.

Round 4 – Nasty oblique kicks by Machado Garry. Another one. Machado Garry doing much better in the fight. Rakhmonov closes the distance and presses Machado Garry against the cage. Machado Garry reverses the position and then breaks away. Rakhmonov shoots and gets a double leg takedown! Rakhmonov working from guard. Oh! Solid shots by Rakhmonov. Two minutes left. Rakhmonov lose sthe psoition and gets caught in a choke, but gets out almost immediately. He controls Machado Garry by the cage. Knees to the legs by Rakhmonov. Final minute. Machado Garry escapes, but gets takedown down shortly after. Big shots by Rakhmonov! More! The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Rakhmonov.

Round 5 – Still counter jab by Rakhmonov. Machado Garry’s face has some ware. Rakhmonov shoots for a takedown, but Garry reverses and gets his back! He locks the body triangle! He’s going for the rear-naked choke! Rakhmonov gets out, but Mahcado Garry keeps attacingthe choke! Rakhmonov reverses and gets guard! What a sequence! We’re halfway through the round. Some shots here and there by Rakhmonov. Final minute. Machado Garry gets back to his feet and presses Rakhmonov against the cage. Rakhmonov reverses. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Rakhmonov. Overall 49-46, Rakhmonov.

Result: Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Recap: Shavkat Rakhmonov survives late scare, hands Ian Machado Garry first loss
Photos: Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Rakhmonov (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Marc Goddard
Judging: Mike Bell, Chris Lee, Ron McCarthy 48-47.

Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov

Round 1 – Big leg kick by Volkov. Volkov with immediate pressure here. And Volkov gets the takedown! Good conrtol and patience here by Volkov. Volkov now in Gane’s half guard. Gane recovers half guard. Gane gets back up with a technical standup. Gane now pressing Volkov against the cage. Gane lets go and they get back to striking. Volkov pressing here. Oh! Douole leg takedown by Gane! Two minutes left.  Good shot by Gane. Volkov hits a sweep, but Gane grabs the cage. Gane back on top, but now he goes for a hell hook! Volkov escapes and they get back to their feet. Knee to the body by Gane. Volkov goes for the takedown and gets it, but gets caught in a guillotine. Gane squeezing hard! The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Gane.

Round 2 – Volkov back to pressuring here. Nice combo by Volkov. Leg kick by Gane. Oh! Spinning back first by Volkov! Lands clean on Gane, but he seems ok. Head kick nearly lands for Volkov. Oh! Clean combo for Volkov! Gane struggling here on the feet. Hard jab and then right by Gane. Stiff right hand by Volkov. Gane with an uppercut. Two minutes left. Leg kick, body kick, then jab by Gane. Another leg kick by Gane. Oh! Nasty combo by Gane! Gane shoots and gets the takedown! He’s now on side control. Gane working the VonFlue choke. He lets it go and lets Volkov back on his feet. Volkov with a left. Body kick by Gane. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Gane.

Round 3 – Jab by Gane. Volkov shoots! Gane tries to reverse, but unable to. Instead, he gets a kimura grip and is looking to do something with it – submission or sweep. Chess match right now. Three minutes left. Volkov gets top control, but still being held ina kimura. We’re halfway through the round. Gane loses the kimura and now has Volkov on top. Volkov landing some short shots. Gane trying to get up but unable. Final 30 seconds. More shots by Volkov. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Volkov. Overall 29-28, Gane.

Result: Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Recap: Ciryl Gane wins controversial decision over Alexander Volkov
Photos: Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), Volkov (38-11 MMA, 6-4 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Mark Smith
Judging: Adalaide Byrd, Junichiro Kamijo 29-28. Eric Colon 28-29.

Kron Gracie vs. Bryce Mitchell

Round 1 – Leg kick by Mitchell. Gracie chasing here. Gracie closes the distance and pulls half guard. Gracie recovers guard now. Mitchell landing short shots here and there on Gracie. We’re halfway through the round. Heavy boos by the crowd. More short shots by Mitchell. Not a ton going on. More boos from the crowd. One minute left. Gracie unsuccessful in trying to set up any submissions.  The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Mitchell.

Round 2 – Gracie with a left hand! He’s pressuring Mitchell here. Oh! And Mitchell with a nice combo. Gracie pulls guard and the crowd immediately boos. Short shots from both. Three minutes left. Not a ton going on. Mitchell lets Gracie back up. Knee to the body by Mitchell. Gracie pulls guard again. Same dynaic here. Oh! Gracie sets up an armbar! He switches to a triangle. Mitchell staying safe so far. Gracie now trying to get the back of Mitchell. Mitchell doing a good job at staying out of trouble. Armbar attempt by Gracie! Mitchell gets out and begins to land ground-and-pound! The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Mitchell.

Round 3 – One, two by Mitchell. They clinch and Gracie pulls guard again. Oh! Nasty elbow from Mitchell puts out Gracie! It’s over.

Result: Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie via KO (elbow) – Round 3, 0:39
Recap: Bryce Mitchell flattens Kron Gracie with huge elbow strike
Photos: Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Mitchell (17-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC), Gracie (5-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Keith Peterson

Dooho Choi vs. Nate Landwehr

Round 1 – Landwehr comes out pressuring. Oh! Nasty hook stuns Landwehr. Choi looking good and swining with power. Another poer shot by Choi!  And again! What a chin by Landwehr. Leg  kick by Choi. Choi closes the distance and takes down Landwehr. Good control here by Choi. Landwehr scrambles his way back to his feet! Two minutes left. Oh! Nasty hook and uppercut by Choi. Not sure how many of these can Landwehr take. Landwehr bleeding from the bridge of his nose. Good jab and right hand by Landwehr. Body shot by Choi. Landwehr presses Choi against the cage. Big elbow in the clinch by Choi. Knees to the body by Landwehr. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Choi.

Round 2 – Landwehrwith immediate pressure. Hard hooks for Choi. Leg kick by Choi. Clean combo by Choi. They clinch and keep alternating control. Now back to striking. Jab by Choi. Nasty leg kick by Choi! Oh! Spinning elbow by Landwehr. And Choi hits a throw and takes down Landwehr in splyle. Choi gets the mount! Shots by Choi. Landwehr is scrambling and escapes! Choi now gets the back of Landwehr. Good control here. Short shots by Choi. Choi lets Landwehr back up, just to take him down again. One minute left. Choi all over Landwehr. Landwehr gets back to his feet and presses Choi against the cage. Choi reverses. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Choi.

Round 3 – Landwehr with crazy pressure here! The two are swining! Choi connects! Choi takes down Landwehrand gets side control. Good shots by Choi. Landwehr doing everything to get out but unable to. Choui gets the crucifix. More shots by Choi. Landwehr scrambling, but just taking shots. More shots by Choi. The referee stops the fight!

Result: Dooho Choi def. Nate Landwehr via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 3, 3:21
Recap: Dooho Choi TKOs Nate Landwehr on ground after throwing heat on feet
Photos: Dooho Choi def. Nate Landwehr at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Choi (16-4-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC), Landwehr (18-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: Pay-per-view
Referee: Chris Tognoni

Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith

Round 1 – Reyes comes out agressive. Smith catches a kick from Reyes and Reyes connects with punches while Smith tries to take him down. Smith unsuccessful with the takedown. Back to striking. An illegal eye poke from Smith halts the action. After a minute the fight resumes. Uppercut and straight left by Reyes. Smith pressuring here. Good right hand by Reyes. Reyes with a clean combo. Smith swining heavy, but has yet to land anything very clean. Solid combo by Reyes. Smith with a solid shot. Final minute. Several jabs connect for Reyes. Smith welcomes them and takes more willingly with his guard down. Nasty combo by Reyes. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Reyes.

Round 2 – Smith comes out pressing. He shoots for a single leg takedown. He’s working for it, but eating some nasty elbows in the process. More shots from Reyes. The elbows drom Smith! More shots from Reyes! Smith downed and Reyes raining shots. Smith bleeding from his nose now. Smith on his knees hanging on to a sigle, but eating tons of elbows and punches. Smith taking a beating here. Reyes moves to half guard. Reyes now takes the back partially and continues unloading shots on Smith. This is a one-sided beat down. The fight is over!

Result: Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:46
Recap: Dominick Reyes dominates, TKOs emotional Anthony Smith
Photos: Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Reyes (14-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC), Smith (38-21 MMA, 13-11 UFC)
Division: Light heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee: Marc Goddard

Themba Gorimbo vs. Vicente Luque

Round 1 – Body kick by Gorimbo. Luque landa a leg kick, and Gorimbo answers back with one of his own. Nasty calf kick by Gorimbo. Oh! Luque drops Gorimbo! He sinks in a D’Arce choke! Gorimbo goes to sleep! It’s over!

Result: Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo via submission (D’Arce choke) – Round 1, 0:52
Recap: Vicente Luque chokes out Themba Gorimbo in 52 seconds, calls out Jorge Masvidal
Photos: Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Luque (23-10-1 MMA, 16-6 UFC), Gorimbo (14-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee: Mark Smith

Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling

Round 1 – God leg kicks by Sterling. Sterling with a right hand! Evloev pressing a ton, but has yet to land anything meaningful. Solid right by Sterling. Sterling partly takes down Evloev, they fighting for position. They’re in a bit of a stalemate. Good shot by Sterling. Sterling gets the takedown and controls Evloev by the cage. We’re halfway through the round. Sterling gets the back of Evloe, but not for long. He escapes, gets back to his feet, but gets slammed. Evloev revreses the position with a minute left! Evloev controlling Sterling by the cage. Evloev gets the takedown! He’s working from halfguard. Short shots by Evloev. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Sterling.

Rund 2 – Level change and a takedown by Sterling! Eveloev gets back to his feet and reverses Sterling! Evloev now on side control! Short shots by Evloev. Now Evloev takes the back. Good control by Evloev. Oh! Sterling explodes out, but now Evelove presses him against the cage. Sterling breaks free. We’re halfway through the round. Oh! Nasty right hand by Evloev and then a takedown. Good shots by Evloev. Sterling scrambling, but Evloev staying in a dominant psoition. Sterling imprves his position and ends on a takedown position without actually egtting the takedown. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Evloev.

Round 3 – Spinning attack by Evloev, puts him in a tough position. He’s on his knees by the cage with Sterling working for the takedown. They’re in a bit of a stalemate. Sterling picks up and slams Evloev. Evloev back to his feet, but being controlled by Sterling against the cage. We’re halfway through the round. Good control by Sterling. Oh! Crazy scramble and Evloev ends on top! Short shots by Evloev from top. Evloev landing some shots now from top turtle position. Evloev gets Sterling’s back! More shots from Evloev. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Evloev. Overall 29-28, Evloev.

Result: Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Recap: Movsar Evloev outscrambles Aljamain Sterling to remain undefeated
Photos: Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC), Sterling (24-5 MMA, 16-5 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee: Jason Herzog
Judging: Ban Cartlidge, Derek Cleary, Sal D’Amato 29-28.

Bryan Battle vs. Randy Brown

Round 1 – Brown takes the center of the cage. Nice combo by Brown. Battle is now walking foward. Oh! Nasty body shot by Brown! Battle lands a right, shoots and comes up short on the takedown. Clean combo connects for Brown. Big right hand connects for Brown! Good chin on Battle. Two minutes left. Battle presses Brown against the cage. Brown hist an excellent throw! He lets Battle back up. Jab by Battle. Battle presses Brown against the cage. Brown reverses the position. And Brown scores a takedown! Good shots from Brown. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Brown.

Round 2 – Battle comes out with pressure. He closes in on Brown, but ends up getting reversed and pressed against the cage. Brown trying to the get the fight to the ground. They break free. Solid. combo by Brown. Now back to the clinch, but this time Battle controls. They break free again. Solid knee by Battle. Battle having a lot more success here. He presses Brown against the cage. They break free. Oh! Brown going off with a nasty combo! Battle presses Brown against the cage. Short shots by Battle. Knees to the body by Battle. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Battle.

Round 3 – The two come out very agressive. Clean combo for Brown. Battle presses him against the cage. He’s woring for the takedown, but Brown defending well. Oh! Brown almost reverses and gets the takedown, but Battle gets rigt back up. Battle still controlling Brown against the cage. Short elbows by Brown. Battle still controlling against the cage. The crowd boos. Short shots by Battle. We’re halfway through the round. Not a ton going on. Battle still trying to get the takedown while pressing Brown against the cage, and Brown defends. The crowd is booing. Short shots by Battle. Battle controlling. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Battle. Overall 29-28, Battle.

Result: Bryan Battle def. Randy Brown via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Photos: Bryan Battle def. Randy Brown at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Battle (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC), Brown (19-6 MMA, 13-6 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN2
Referee: Keith Peterson
Judging: Mike Bell 28-29. Adalaide Byrd, Ron McCarthy 29-28.

Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman

Round 1 – Weidman staying on the outside here. Good fake and then connection by Weidman. Both guys testing each other’s rage. Anders presses Weidman against the cage. They break free. Andres catches a leg kick and then connects with a head kick! Weidman is hurt. Anders upping the pressure! An illegal knee to the head lands by Anders. The fight is paused. It resumes a few seconds later. Body kick by Weidman. Oh! Big left by Weidman drops Anders! Weidman follows him to the ground and gets in half guard. Good control here by Weidman. One minute left. Shirt shots by Weidman. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Weidman.

Round 2 – Both connect with straight lefts here. Anders closes the distance and shoots! He presses Weidman against the cage. Guillotine attempt by Weidman! Anders gets out and now he has top position. Ground and pound by Anders! Anders moves to half guard. Big shots by Anders! More shots by Anders! Weidman looks to be in trouble! Nasty elbows by Anders! Weidman getting beat up here. Weidman unable to improve his position. Anders keeps raining down punches! Weidman pushes him off and now Anders hovers over him while standing. Anders gets back on him and continues the punishment. More shots by Anders! It’s over!

Result: Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 4:51
Recap: Eryk Anders makes Chris Weidman pay for choke attempt with TKO
Photos: Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Anders (17-8 MMA, 9-8 UFC), Weidman (16-8 MMA, 12-8 UFC)
Division: 195-pound contract weight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Mark Smith

Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van

Round 1 – Leg kick by Durden. Van comes back with one of his own. Oh! Big left connects for Durden. Durden shoots and presses Van against the cage. And Durden gets the takedown! Short shots by Durden from the top. Van trying to get back to his feet but unable to. A couple of elbows from bottom by Van. Two minutes left. Van gets back to his feet, but still being controlled against the cage. Van gets free! Nice shot by Durden. Jab by Van! Leg kick by Van. They trade jabs. Final minute. Durden presses Van against the cage. He eats a few elbows while pressing Van. Durden controlling. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Durden.

Round 2 – These two come out firing! Nice combo by Van! Head kick by Van! Jabs by Van! Durden shoots and Van stuffs the takedown! Van putting it on Durden! More shots by Van! Durden is getting beat up here. Uppercut connects for Durden. Van by far with the cleaner striking here. Uppercut by Van! Durden looks exhausted, things are not looking good for him. We’re halfway through the round. Nice body work by Van! Incredible toughness by Durden. He’s taking a beating here and still swinging. Durden’s face is all lumped up and he’s bleeding from his mouth. Final minute. Van with some nasty hooks! What a chin on Durden. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Van.

Round 3 – Van looks like the fresher fighter here. He’s pushing foward and picking apart Durden on the feet. Leg kicks, jabs, hooks, uppercuts. Van is landing it all. Oh! Van stuns Durden. He shoots and then goes to his back after not being able to take down Van. Van lets Durden back up. Durden shoots again and comes up short. Nasty one, two by Van! Oh! Big right hand! And again! Van is looking great. And a counter right by Van stuns Durden! More shots by Van. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Van. Overall 29-28, Van.

Result: Joshua Van def. Cody Durden via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)
Photos: Joshua Van def. Cody Durden at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Van (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC), Durden (17-7-1 MMA, 6-5-1 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni
Judging: Mike Bell 29-28. Eric Colon 30-26. Ron McCarthy 30-27.

Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin

Round 1 – Jab by Griffin, Griffin pressing the action here. Big left hand by Chiesa and then a takedown! Griffin on his knees by the cage. Chiesa takes Griffin’s back while standing. Griffin with a body triangle. He lets it go and Griffin escapes. Back to striking. One, two by Griffin. Two minutes left. Griffin lands a left hook. Good knee to the body by Chiesa. Oh! Right hand by Griffin! Chiesa shoots and Griffin stuffs it. They get into a sloppy exchange and Chiesa takes the back of Griffin. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Chiesa.

Round 2 –  Chiesa fakes the takedown and lands a jab. Nice connection by Griffin and then a counter by Chiesa. Left hand connects for Chiesa and then presses Griffin against the cage. Griffin escapes and back to striking. Griffin pressing here. Three minutes left. Griffin presses Chiesa against the cage. Griffin just controlling here, not much going on. Two minutes left. They briefly split and back to the clinch. They break away with a little over a minute left. Good combo by Chiesa from short range. Chiesa controlling Griffin by the cage. The bell rings.

MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9, Chiesa.

Round 3 – Looks like Griffin needs a finish here. He comes out more aggressive, looking to land big shots. Nice counter by Chiesa. Chiesa gets Griffin to the ground! He takes his back and sinks in the rear-naked choke! It looks tight! It’s over!

Result: Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:53
Recap: Michael Chiesa finishes Max Griffin, calls for spot on Seattle card
Photos: Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Chiesa (20-7 MMA, 13-7 UFC), Griffin (20-11 MMA, 8-9 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Marc Goddard

Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper

Round 1 – Body kick and then a combo by Hooper. Nice left hand by Hooper. His striking looking on point. Hooper ties up Guida and pushes him against the cage. And Hooper gets the takedown! Guida works his way back to his feet, but gets taken down. He gets up again and gets takedown down once more. Hooker gets his back now. Crazy scrambles! Hooker gets the armbar! There’s the tap!

Result: Chase Hooper def. Clay Guida via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:41
Recap: Chase Hooper submits Clay Guida, who sets record for most octagon losses
Photos: Chase Hooper def. Clay Guida at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Hooper (15-3-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC), Guida (38-22 MMA, 18-19 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Keith Peterson

Lukasz Brzeski vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

Round 1 – They touch up the gloves and start feeling out the range. Nzechukwu paws out a right hand gauge distance. A two-punch combo connects for Nzechukwu. Brzeski responds with a solid punch. Nzechukwu front kicks to the body. Brzeski charges forward with punches, but Nzechukwu evades well. They trade punches in close, both landing nicely. Nzechukwu gets his leg caught after a kick, but Brzeski lets it go. Nzechukwu frames and steps in with a powerful knee to the body. Nzechukwu continues to press forward looking for openings, and BANG! A clean right hook drops Brzeski! Nzechukwu lands a few more hammerfists and it’s over!

Result: Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Lukasz Brzeski via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:51
Recap: Kennedy Nzechukwu crushes Lukasz Brzeski with devastating knockout blows
Photos: Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Lukasz Brzeski at UFC 310: Best photos
Records: Brzeski (9-6-1 MMA, 1-5 UFC), Nzechukwu (14-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Chris Tognoni

UFC 310 pay-per-view price

The UFC 310 main card is available to ESPN+ subscribers at a cost of $79.99.

UFC 310 odds

Below are the UFC 310 odds for the top three fights at three of the big online sportsbooks.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura fight odds

  • DraftKings: Pantoja -270, Asakura +220
  • FanDuel: Pantoja -260, Asakura +215
  • BetMGM: Pantoja -275, Asakura +210

Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Machado Garry fight odds

  • DraftKings: Rakhmonov -375, Machado Garry +295
  • FanDuel: Rakhmonov -355, Machado Garry +285
  • BetMGM: Rakhmonov -450, Machado Garry +340

Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov fight odds

  • DraftKings: Gane -380, Volkov +300
  • FanDuel: Gane -360, Volkov +290
  • BetMGM: Gane -375, Volkov +290

UFC 310 predictions

Find out the MMA Junkie staff picks for every fight by clicking here.

You can also read fight analyst Dan Tom’s in-depth analysis and find out his predictions for Pantoja vs. Asakura and Rakhmonov vs. Machado Garry.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura at UFC 310: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Alexandre Pantoja’s second-round submission win over Kai Asakura at UFC 310.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]’s second-round submission win over [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] at UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Fight and venue photos by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA Today Sports)

UFC 310 results: Alexandre Pantoja chokes out Kai Asakura, calls Demetrious Johnson out of retirement

Alexandre Pantoja remains the king of the UFC’s flyweight division, and wants retired former champ Demetrious Johnson to come back next.

[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] denied Kai Asakura’s opportunity to make history by becoming the first UFC champion from Japan.

In the main event of UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) proved to be the superior fighter by choking out former Rizin champion and UFC newcomer Asakura (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC). The rear-naked choke submission came at 2:05 of Round 2.

This fight started in a blur. Pantoja quickly closed the distance with strikes, prompting a counter jumping knee from Asakura. The champ responded with a big punch before things slowed down in the clinch. Pantoja took the fight to the ground, but not much took place before Asakura got back to his feet.

The challenger darted in and out with a variety of strikes while Pantoja patiently countered and charged forward with hard punches and kicks when he recognized an opportunity.

Pantoja came out aggressively in Round 2, using strikes to setup a takedown attempt. Denied initially, Pantoja scrambled his way to Asakura’s back and quickly locked in a body triangle.

Soon, the rear-naked choke was slapped on, and the squeeze put Asakura to sleep.

During his post-fight interview, Pantoja called out retired former champion Demetrious Johnson.

“I’m the GOAT here,” Pantoja told Joe Rogan in the octagon. “If you want to prove you’re the GOAT, come back.”

The result marks Pantoja’s third defense of the UFC flyweight title as he extends his current winning streak to seven. Pantoja claimed the title by winning a split decision over Brandon Moreno and has since defeated Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and now Asakura.

For the former Rizin champ, Asakura suffers defeat in a rare debut UFC title opportunity. He entered the fight as a winner of his two final Rizin bouts, which were stoppages of Yuki Motoya and Juan Archuleta.

[lawrence-related id=2791135,2790706,2791126]

Full UFC 310 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

UFC 310 social media reactions: Alexandre Pantoja’s title defense over Kai Asakura gets rave reviews from fighters

The MMA community reacted to Alexandre Pantoja’s dominant title defense against Kai Asakura in the UFC 310 main event.

[autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] continued to shine at flyweight champion Saturday when he spoiled the octagon debut of [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] at UFC 310.

Pantoja (29-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) registered his third consecutive title defense with a second-round submission victory over former RIZIN FF champion Asakura (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in the headlining bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Pantoja beating Asakura at UFC 310.

* * * *

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura prediction, pick: How likely is UFC 310 headliner upset?

Kai Asakura has a chance to make history in more ways than one at UFC 310, but it will be tough sledding against Alexandre Pantoja.

MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom goes in-depth to break down the biggest fights in the UFC. Today, he takes a closer look at the UFC 310 main event between flyweight champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] and promotional newcomer [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag].

Alexandre Pantoja preview

Staple info:

  • Record: 28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC
  • Height: 5’5″ Age: 34 Weight: 125 lbs. Reach: 68″
  • Last fight: Decision win over Steve Erceg (May 4, 2024)
  • Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
  • Stance/striking style: Orthodox/muay Thai
  • Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ UFC flyweight champion
+ Regional MMA titles
+ Amateur muay Thai accolades
+ Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt
+ 8 KO victories
+ 10 submission wins
+ 10 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Counters well in combination
+ Hard leg kicks
+ Solid clinch fighter
^ Good knees and strikes off the breaks
+ Underrated wrestling ability
+ Superb transitional grappler
^ Slick submissions, good ground-and-pound

Kai Asakura preview

Kai Asakura def. Juan Archuleta at Rizin 45

Staple info:

  • 21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC
  • Height: 5’8″ Age: 31 Weight: 125 lbs. Reach: N/A”
  • Last fight: TKO win over Juan Archuleta (Dec. 31, 2023)
  • Camp: Japan Top Team (Japan)
  • Stance/striking style: Orthodox/kickboxing
  • Risk management: Fair

Supplemental info:
+ 2x RIZIN bantamweight champion
+ Regional MMA title
+ Zeno-kai karate black belt
+ Jiu-jitsu purple belt
+ 13 KO victories
+ 3 submission wins
+ 12 first-round finishes
+ KO power
+ Aggressive pace and pressure
+ Accurate shot selection
^ Works well to the body/in boxing range
+ Dangerous and dynamic knees
+ Strong inside the clinch
+ Improved wrestling ability
^ Strong first-layer defense
+ Urgent scrambler

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura point of interest: Flyweight power

Kai Asakura def. Juan Archuleta at Rizin 45

As his nickname “The Cannibal” would suggest, Pantoja is an offensive marauder who isn’t afraid to shed blood in order to feed himself.

An inherent pressure fighter, Pantoja is typically at his best when coming forward and looking to corrall opposition toward the cage. Although Pantoja’s technique and defense can sometimes leave much to be desired, the Brazilian bruiser can flow through offensive phases like second nature and counters well in combination.

In fact, Pantoja has quietly developed his counter-striking savvy in his latter years, which, in turn, gives him both more breathing room and options to operate from on the feet.

Demonstrating excellent instincts in the clinch, Pantoja has a good feel for body knees and strikes off the break. However, Pantoja will need to respect the knees coming back his way when facing a fighter like [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag].

A devastating striker from Japan, Asakura is more in the mold of a karate-boxing archetype.

Embracing the sweet science – while coming from a karate background – Asakura demonstrates the inherent distance management one would associate with his style. Whether Asakura is feinting or prodding with his lead hand, the 31-year-old challenger appears to keep his rear hand on a hair-trigger.

From intercepting uppercuts to overhands, Asakura will offer plenty of power threats that are capable of putting out opponents, regardless of the weight class. And though Asakura is good about going to the body with punches, the Japanese standout keeps some nasty knees in his back pocket for anyone trying to change levels on him.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura breakdown: Potential grappling threats

Alexandre Pantoja (red gloves) fights Brandon Royval (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. (Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports)

Considering where the biggest on-paper disparity is in this fight, no one should be shocked if the champion tries to take this party to the floor.

However, as alluded to in the previous section, Asakura – outside of some solid first-layer takedown defense – presents some potent threats with his knees at multiple ranges.

Not only can Asakura catch opponents coming in with reactionary lifting or flying knees, but the RIZIN champion is also good about punishing opponents in the clinch.

Luckily for Pantoja, he seems to prefer almost chest-level takedown entries and works well from bodylock positions (which are great for avoiding front-headlock scenarios and closing the space needed for knees).

Despite not officially working on his wrestling until teaming up with Henry Cejudo post-“TUF,” Pantoja has always been a dangerous threat from the bodylock.

Parlaying off of his previously mentioned clinch striking, Pantoja is quick to lock his hands around his opposition and shuck them off to a side whenever possible.

Displaying good cage awareness, Pantoja wastes little time when it comes to wedging himself in between the fence and the back of his opposition. And once Pantoja is able to get the slightest bite on a position, the Shooto Brazil vet will jump at the opportunity to shift the fight’s dynamic.

In victory or defeat, seldom will you see anyone get to Pantoja’s back for prolonged periods or put him in precarious submission threats. In fact, the 17-year pro has a knack for turning negative positions around through his superb legwork and scrambling ability.

Pantoja, who has incredible transitional instincts and chair sits, will have an edge when it comes to finding the back. And if Pantoja ends up on top, the American Top Team rep has some fantastic ground striking that’s not talked about enough.

Like a snake striking its prey on the nature channel, Pantoja possesses incredible accuracy and pop to the punches that slightly arc around his opponent’s guard.

Asakura, to his credit, has a solid butterfly guard and is an urgent scrambler who seldom accepts negative positions. That said, I’m not sure how his propensity to turtle will stack up with the champion’s back-taking sensibilities.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura odds

The oddsmakers and the public are currently favoring the sitting champion, listing Pantoja -280 and Asakura +210 via FanDuel.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura prediction, pick

Despite the betting public typically disrespecting Pantoja, I can’t say that I disagree with the spread listed above.

Although Pantoja is the deserved favorite, you can argue that respect is still being shown to Asakura’s chances – and rightfully so.

Pantoja has thus far proven to be unfinishable over his 17-year career, but Asakura will arguably be the hardest hitter the champ has seen since his 2019 loss to Deiveson Figueiredo. And if Asakura can be the one to crack Pantoja’s chin, then he’ll be making history in more ways than one this Saturday.

However, as much as I would love to see Japan finally get a UFC title, there are ultimately too many checkmarks in Pantoja’s favor to pick against him here.

Aside from this being Asakura’s first professional competition overseas, this will also be the first time Asakura has had to make the flyweight limit since 2017 (where he officially weighed in at 126 lbs.). And as far as the striking goes, Pantoja will have some quiet advantages there, as well.

Not only does Asakura’s lack of head movement and defense tend to fall apart on the back foot, but Pantoja – who has a background in muay Thai – has a knack for dictating the knee traffic in his fights (which will be crucial against this opponent).

Couple all that with the fact that Pantoja’s takedown chains along the fence will likely be even more effective against an opponent who is used to fighting in a ring, and I can’t help but see the UFC champion grounding Asakura and thriving inside of scrambles given the challenger’s propensity to turtle.

I’ll pick Pantoja to survive some early scares and lock up a submission by the end of Round 2.

Prediction: Pantoja inside the distance

UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura watch-along live stream with MMA Junkie Radio

Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of UFC 310 in Las Vegas.

UFC 310 goes down Saturday night with a flyweight championship showdown atop the bill, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live-streamed watch-along right here at 8 p.m. ET.

In the headliner, flyweight champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who will make his promotional debut in a title fight – a rarity. The co-feature is a fight between unbeaten welterweights [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

UFC 310 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+ and ESPN2.

Below is the lineup of fights included in the watch-along:

UFC 310 main card (pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura – for flyweight title
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
  • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Kron Gracie vs. Bryce Mitchell
  • Dooho Choi vs. Nate Landwehr

UFC 310 preliminary card (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith
  • Themba Gorimbo vs. Vicente Luque
  • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling
  • Bryan Battle vs. Randy Brown

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura preview show live stream with Farah Hannoun

Before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a live-streamed preview of UFC 310 in Las Vegas.

UFC 310 goes down Saturday night with a flyweight championship showdown atop the bill, and before the fights get underway, Farah Hannoun will host a live-streamed preview show right here at 5 p.m. ET.

In the headliner, flyweight champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) takes on [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who will make his promotional debut in a title fight – a rarity. The co-feature is a fight between unbeaten welterweights [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

UFC 310 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+ and ESPN2.

Below is the full UFC 310 lineup:

UFC 310 main card (pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura – for flyweight title
  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
  • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Kron Gracie vs. Bryce Mitchell
  • Dooho Choi vs. Nate Landwehr

UFC 310 preliminary card (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith
  • Themba Gorimbo vs. Vicente Luque
  • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling
  • Bryan Battle vs. Randy Brown

UFC 310 early preliminary card (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman
  • Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin
  • Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper
  • Lukasz Brzeski vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.

What time is Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura? Walkout time for UFC 310 main event

Here’s when to expect Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura to make their cage walks at UFC 310.

A flyweight title fight headlines UFC 310 as champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] puts his belt on the line against newcomer [autotag]Kai Asakura[/autotag]. This bout scheduled for five rounds is taking place Saturday, Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Pantoja (28-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC), who enters UFC 310 on a six-fight winning streak, is in search of his third consecutive title defense. Pantoja defeated Brandon Moreno by split decision to claim the 125-pound title in July 2023 and since then has followed up with unanimous decision wins against Brandon Royval and most recently Steve Erceg this past May at UFC 301.

Asakura (21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has built his career in his native Japan as a former RIZIN FF bantamweight champion, now looking to immediately make a splash in a rare UFC debut title fight. Asakura holds notable victories over former Bellator and RIZIN champ Kyoji Horiguchi, as well as former Bellator champ Juan Archuleta.

Here are the walkout times for the UFC 310 main event between Pantoja and Asakura.

What time does UFC 310 start tonight?

  • The UFC 310 lineup consists of 14 fights. Early prelims start at 6 p.m ET, prelims at 8 p.m. ET, and the pay-per-view main card is at 10 p.m. ET.

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura walkout time

  • As the main event, Pantoja and Asakura are expected to walk out to the cage at approximately 12:30 a.m. ET (9:30 p.m. locally in Las Vegas).
  • The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.