Dana White announces new main events for UFC 310 and UFC Tampa

UFC President Dana White promised he had something “good” to fix the main event issues of UFC 310, and he was right.

After the UFC 309 ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday night, White announced two new main card events in December. UFC men’s flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja was already set to defend his title against Japanese newcomer Kai Asakura in the co-main event of UFC 310.

That match has been elevated to the main event.

The new co-main event will see undefeated welterweight Shavkat Rakmmonov take on undefeated 170-pounder Ian Machado Garry in a high-stakes bout.

According to White, the winner will get a title shot against Belal Muhammad in the first quarter of 2025. Initially, Muhammad was scheduled to defend his title against Rakhmonov in the main event.

But an injured toe forced Muhammad out. Garry was booked to face Joaquin Buckley the following week in the main event of UFC Tampa on December 14th. The UFC didn’t want to disrupt those plans, but they had to pivot and pick Garry to help save pay-per-view appeal.

Buckley and UFC Tampa were not left out in the cold.

The new main event for Tampa will see former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington take on Buckley in a fight that should be the winner of the Rakhmonov-Garry clash.

The fight will be Covington’s first since losing a unanimous decision to Leon Edwards in December 2023.

Buckley is coming off an explosive KO victory over Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in October. Rakmonov and Garry addressed each other on social media after the news was made official.

All things considered, the UFC did a good job of salvaging the last two cards of the year with solid events. Here’s a look at both cards now with Friday’s adjustments.

UFC 310 Main Event on ESPN+ PPV

• Flyweight: UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura
• Welterweight: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry (five rounds)
• Heavyweight: Cyril Gane vs. Alexander Volkov
• Featherweight: Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling
• Welterweight: Nick Diaz vs. Vicente Luque

UFC 310 Prelims card on ESPN2/ESPN+

• Light Heavyweight: Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes
• Lightweight: Chase Hooper vs. Clay Guida
• Welterweight: Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin
• Flyweight: Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van
• Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Bryan Battle
• Heavyweight: Tallison Teixeira vs. Lukasz Brzeski
• Heavyweight: Rizvan Kuniev vs. Martin Buday
• Featherweight: Nate Landwehr vs. Doo Ho Choi

UFC Tampa

• Welterweight: Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley
• Women’s strawweight: Amanda Ribas vs. Mackenzie Dern
• Featherweight: Cub Swanson vs. Billy Quarantillo
• Lightweight: Drakkar Klose vs. Joel Alvarez
• Lightweight: Michael Johnson vs. Ottman Azaitar
• Women’s Flyweight: Miranda Maverick Vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth
• Light Heavyweight: Dustin Jacoby vs. Vitor Petrino
• Women’s Strawweight: Piera Rodriguez vs. Josefine Knutsson
• Light heavyweight: Navajo Stirling vs. Tuco Tokkos
• Bantamweight: Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras
• Men’s flyweight: Manel Cape vs. Bruno Silva
• Featherweight: Sean Woodson vs. Fernando Padilla
• Bantamweight: Daniel Marcos vs. Adrian Yanez
• Featherweight: Miles Johns vs. Felipe Lima