NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 14: UFC President Dana White speaks throughout the UFC 309 press … [+] conference at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on November 14, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
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All eyes are on UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, however MMA fans still have concerns about the centerpiece of UFC 310 in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena.
On Thursday, at journalism occasion ahead of UFC 309, UFC CEO Dana White was inquired about the centerpiece, and he responded: “we'll reveal it tomorrow. It's gon na be great.”
The primary occasion was expected to see UFC welterweight champ Belal Muhammad safeguarding his title for the very first time versus unbeaten Uzbekistan competitor Shavkat Rahkmonov. Muhammad suffered a bone infection in his toe that required him out.
The UFC has actually looked for a replacement for Muhammad, however there hasn't been a statement. Previous welterweight champ Kamaru Usman eliminated himself from factor to consider, stating the December 7 date would be “prematurely” for him to handle that difficulty.
There aren't lots of other alternatives for Rahkmonov to deal with in the department, with the majority of the other guys ranked in the Top 10 currently set up, just recently active, or returning from an injury. Sean Brady, Jack Della Maddalena, and Colby Covington are the only names that make good sense.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: Ian Machado Garry of Ireland searches throughout a welterweight bout throughout … [+] UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images)
We'll see if that pertains to fulfillment; nevertheless, even if Rahkmonov does get among those guys to step up on brief notification, it will not be for a title– unless the UFC chooses to make another interim champion circumstance. That may be an early relocation, depending upon for how long Muhammad is anticipated to be out of action. If the UFC does want to make an interim title bout, they might pluck Ian Machado Garry from his UFC Tampa battle versus Joaquin Buckley and put him in with Rahkmonov.
Some smaller sized outlets are reporting this holds true.
If Rahkmonov remains on the card versus another leading welterweight, it still looks like his battle is predestined to be devalued to the co-main occasion while the UFC males's flyweight champion in between victor, Alexandre Pantoja and Japanese opposition Kai Asakura rises to the headliner.
The UFC generally attempts to prevent flyweight headliners when they can, and that's the expectation here. Numerous of the UFC's other titles are connected up in circumstances that would make it hard or difficult to pop a battle from that department into the leading area.
Jon Jones is safeguarding the heavyweight title versus Stipe Miocic on Saturday. Tom Aspinall is the interim champ and backup,
