Can Dana White Fix UFC 310?

By Tim Burke November 04, 2024 16:24

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Images

The UFC received devastating news about the upcoming UFC 310 event on December 7th in Las Vegas. Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad was forced out of the main event against Shavkat Rakhmonov due to a foot infection.

Fortunately for the UFC, Muhammad should only be out for six weeks to defend his belt in early 2025. Still, this raises serious doubts about UFC 310.

When the UFC announced the final PPV of 2024, it announced two exciting title fights: the main event of Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov and the co-main event of Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura for the flyweight title. It appears that Pantoja and Asakura will be the main event for UFC 310.

"I am super excited. I'm the main event right now," Pantoja stated on SiriusXM Fight Nation.

Pantoja is an excellent fighter and champion. He is one of only two flyweight champions to defend the belt multiple times. The 34-year-old has beaten six of the top ten flyweights and is 9-0 against the top ten ranked flyweights. He is the most under appreciated champion in the UFC.

However, Dana White is notorious for not being a fan of the flyweight division. Having the flyweight title on top of a card featuring big fights such as Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov, Nick Diaz's return, and Aljamain Sterling vs. Movsar Evloev is not something Dana White would view as ideal.

"I fought and fought and fought, and I was like, I want Pay-Per Viewpoints. They specifically said, we do not give Pay-Per View Points to flyweight guys." Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrius Johnson stated on his YouTube channel.

Can Dana White salvage the main event without the welterweight champion?

On Monday, Shavkhat Rakhmonov and his manager stated that there are ongoing discussions about Rakhmonov fighting on the UFC 310 card. They declared that he hopes to fight the former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

Kamaru Usman has lost his last three fights but is still the biggest draw in the welterweight division. At 37, Usman may have passed his prime, but in his prime, he was one of the most entertaining and greatest champions in UFC history. He can put people in seats and sell tickets for UFC 310. Could Usman vs. Rakhmonov fight for the interim welterweight title? That seems unfair to Belal Muhammad.

"He's calling for an interim title fight, and I'm like, 'Interim title fight? Bro, it's six weeks, not six months, that I'm off."Muhammad told the Anik and Florian podcast about Shavkat's demand for an interim title fight.

The UFC may not have to put the title on the line. Kamaru Usman is one of MMA's biggest legends. Putting him up against one of the most dangerous contenders in the division, with a 100% finish rate in 18 fights, sells on its own. The UFC making this non-title fight the co-main event may help put Pantoja and the flyweight division over and help build the star power of the UFC's most under appreciated fighter and an entertaining champion.