At UFC 310, Ian Machado Garry faced Shavkat Rakhmonov in a highly anticipated co-main event that resulted in a decision loss for Garry. Despite Garry’s late surge, Rakhmonov successfully defended his undefeated record, improving to 19-0, while Garry falls to 15-1. Notably, Garry became the first fighter to take Rakhmonov the full distance in a fight, with the judges scoring it 48-47 across the board in favor of Rakhmonov.
The matchup came after welterweight champion Belal Muhammad had to withdraw from his fight against Rakhmonov due to a bone infection, allowing Garry an opportunity to step in. Rakhmonov’s victory sets him up for a future title fight against Muhammad.
In the main event, Alexandre Pantoja retained his flyweight title after defeating Kai Asakura by submission in the second round. Asakura, a former bantamweight champion in Rizin making his UFC debut, showed skill and resilience but ultimately succumbed to Pantoja’s grappling prowess.
Other notable outcomes from UFC 310 included Ciryl Gane’s tough match against Alexander Volkov and Dominick Reyes’ second-round TKO victory over Anthony Smith, who fought emotionally following the recent passing of his coach.
As UFC continues to thrive with competitive matchups, the resilience shown by Ian Machado Garry, taking Rakhmonov to the distance, can be seen as a positive stepping stone in his career. He retains the potential to bounce back stronger, and the experience gained from this high-level bout will only further develop his skills in the cage.
The event showcased exciting fights and displayed the depth of talent in the UFC roster, providing fans with thrilling moments and laying groundwork for upcoming title fights and rankings battles.