PBP UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura Official Main Card PBP Discussion: Sat. 12/7 at 10 pm ET

[Poirierfan]

Nah DJ doesn't have shit the prove by coming back, and Dana won't pay him what he's worth and he knows, this won't happen.

MM is in love with BJJ in his retirement years.

 

[GordoBarraBJJ]

Red de la cruz

 

[Poirierfan]

In my opinion Jamal is 1-0 against Poatan. Alex threw a lucky left hook with his eyes closed and landed.

Hill is 0-1 against the ref though.

 

[Khaosan]

Pantoja is a monster, such a fun fighter. I’m stoked for Kai’s return, I wonder if it will be at FLW or BW.

 

[Hdfi]

Pantoja cleared out his division damn

and they still haven't put him in the top 10 P4P ranking. LOL

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Just run out of options aha, maybe cejudo goes down but I’m pretty sure they’re friends

Figgy is 1-0 against pantoja, but he's old now.

 

[Roop Holstry]

Hill is 0-1 against the ref though.

I won’t take that ref seriously until he fights Jake Paul

 

[TCE]

Yeah that was an odd one.
Chuck Liddel studing to become an accountant is the weirdest one I can think of of my head. Though I think he only briefly practiced as one.

Tito Ortiz a brain surgeon, that one caught me off guard.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Yeah that was an odd one.
Chuck Liddel studing to become an accountant is the weirdest one I can think of of my head. Though I think he only briefly practiced as one.

Some guy restocked gum ball machines or something like that. Saw it on a segment once.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Tito Ortiz a brain surgeon, that one caught me off guard.

Bryce Mitchell director of NASA. That one surprised me.

 

[tornado362]

Figgy is 1-0 against pantoja, but he's old now.

I don’t think Figgy can make 125 anymore

 

[Poirierfan]

I won’t take that ref seriously until he fights Jake Paul

As you shouldn't.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Alexandre Pantoja was once again unwilling to make room for anyone else at the top.

The American Top Team-trained Brazilian put promotional newcomer Kai Asakura to sleep with a palm-to-palm rear-naked choke, as he retained the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight crown in the second round of their UFC 310 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Asakura (21-5, 0-1 UFC) blacked out 2:05 into Round 2.


Champion and challenger traded barbs throughout a compelling first round. Pantoja (29-5, 13-3 UFC) threw more and landed more while also mixing in a takedown. Asakura responded with a few thudding knees to the body and inside leg kicks but could not keep pace with “The Cannibal.” Pantoja set off a scramble in the second round, jumped to the back, locked down a body triangle and focused all his efforts on the neck of the two-time Rizin Fighting Federation titleholder. He slipped the choke in place, switched grips and let his squeeze do the rest.

Pantoja, 34, has rattled off seven straight wins.

Meanwhile, burgeoning Kill Cliff Fight Club star Shavkat Rakhmonov maintained his position as the No. 1 contender for the undisputed UFC welterweight championship with a unanimous decision over Ian Garry in the five-round co-main event at 170 pounds. Forced to go the distance for the first time in his career, Rakhmonov (19-0, 7-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with 48-47 marks across the board.

Related » UFC 310 Round-by-Round Scoring​

The first two rounds were marked by extended periods of inactivity on the feet, grueling clinches and occasional bursts of offense, the majority of them from Rakhmonov. Garry (15-1, 8-1 UFC) started to turn the corner in the third, where he attacked the lead leg with repeated kicks, some directed at the calf and others pointed just above the knee. Rakhmonov answered with two takedowns and a potent dose of ground-and-pound in Round 4, and while he had taken charge on the cards, he was far from out of harm’s way. Garry snuck behind him in fifth, secured position with a body triangle and went to work on several rear-naked choke variations. Rakhmonov withstood them all, sprang a reversal, escaped to his feet and bled the remaining time off the clock.

Up next for Rakhmonov: a likely showdown with welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the first half of 2025.

Further down the main card, MMA Factory mainstay Ciryl Gane improved to 2-0 in his head-to-head series against Alexander Volkov with a contentious split decision over the former Bellator MMA champion in their three-round heavyweight rematch. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28: Eric Colon for Volkov, Adalaide Byrd and Junichiro Kamijo for Gane.

Volkov (38-11, 12-5 UFC)—who dropped a unanimous verdict to the Frenchman in 2021—survived a near-finish at the end of a competitive first round, as the bell freed him from the clutches of a tight guillotine choke. The 6-foot-7 Russian turned up the heat in the middle stanza, where he appeared to land a majority of the strikes of consequence against Gane (13-2, 10-2 UFC), his work highlighted by perfectly timed spinning backfist that sent spit flying. Neither man did much across the final five minutes. Volkov procured a takedown, spent a significant amount of time successfully defending a kimura and felt as though he had done enough to salt away the victory. Two members of the judiciary felt differently.

The setback snapped a four-fight winning streak for Volkov.

Elsewhere, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 27 semifinalist Bryce Mitchell rebounded from his frightening Dec. 16 knockout loss to Josh Emmett, as he discarded Kron Gracie with a violent slam and follow-up elbow strikes in the third round of their featherweight attraction. Mitchell (17-2, 8-2 UFC) drew the curtain 39 seconds into Round 3.

Related » UFC 310 Prelims: Resurgent Reyes Downs Smith​

Gracie (5-3, 1-3 UFC) repeatedly pulled guard in a bid to avoid standup exchanges in favor of operating from his back. The strategy nearly paid off in the second round, where the 2013 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championship gold medalist twice flirted with armbars. When Gracie jumped to guard early in the third, Mitchell changed course, slammed him downward onto the canvas and backed it up with two devastating elbows to the face.

It was Mitchell’s first knockout win in 19 appearances as a pro.

Finally, Busan Team MAD export Doo Ho Choi put away former M-1 Global champion Nate Landwehr with punches and elbows in the third round of their featherweight appetizer. Landwehr (18-6, 5-4 UFC) succumbed to blows 3:21 into Round 3.

Choi (16-4-1, 5-3-1 UFC) raced out to a quick lead and never looked back. He paired accurate multi-punch combinations to the head and body with sharp leg kicks and smooth takedowns. Eventually, Landwehr wore down from all the punishment. Choi executed a takedown inside the first minute of the third round, progressed to a mounted crucifix and battered the defenseless Tennessee native with punches and elbows until referee Chris Tognoni had seen enough.

The 33-year-old Choi has posted back-to-back wins for the first time since 2016.

Continue Reading » UFC 310 Prelims: Luque Throttles Gorimbo

Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja Puts Kai Asakura to Bed in UFC 310 Headliner

Alexandre Pantoja was once again unwilling to make room for anyone else at the top.

www.sherdog.com

 

[AstralPanda]

Yup, next to zero self promotion, and we were forced to watch too many Benavidez fights.

At least we got Olivi from him.

Damn when did she get booty

 

[dominion]

Nah DJ doesn't have shit the prove by coming back, and Dana won't pay him what he's worth and he knows, this won't happen.

DJ ain't Jones. He doesn't punk away from a challenge

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

top 15 material, top 10 probably. maybe top 5?

Well Van on the prelims looks like a way better striker if he doesn't get KOed I'd have him over kai. Kape is a fringe top 10 and I also like him in the rematch. And that's not counting submission specialist.

 

[rorschach51]

That's what Pantoja said...

But really. He knows it either call out DJ or fights guys for the 4 5th time.

Kowboy?! What happened to @Siver!

 

[gentel]

It's fucking heinous that they have Pantoja as #11 P4P behind Leon who got dumped on his head by Belal and Volk who got knocked out by Topuria

In reality Pantoja is top 3 P4P with Islam and Topuria and there's absolutely a legitimate argument he's P4P #1

 

[Poirierfan]

Bryce Mitchell director of NASA. That one surprised me.

That one shouldn't have surprised you. How do you think Bryce learned the earth was flat?

 

[Poirierfan]

It's fucking heinous that they have Pantoja as #11 P4P behind Leon who got dumped on his head by Belal and Volk who got knocked out by Topuria

In reality Pantoja is top 3 P4P with Islam and Topuria and there's absolutely a legitimate argument he's P4P #1

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