Muhammad-Rakhmonov, Pantoja-Asakura set for UFC 310

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will defend his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov in the main event of UFC 310 on Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, UFC CEO Dana White announced Saturday.

In the co-main event, Alexandre Pantoja will put the flyweight belt on the line against UFC newcomer and former Rizin FF bantamweight champion Kai Asakura.

Muhammad captured the 170-pound championship with a unanimous decision win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in July in Edwards' home country of England. The Chicago resident is riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak and hasn't lost since 2019.

Rakhmonov, the No. 3-ranked welterweight, has long been considered the heir to the division's throne. Rakhmonov is 6-0 in the UFC and 18-0 as a pro, boasting a 100% finish rate. The Kazakh fighter is coming off a submission win over Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson last December and spent most of 2024 on the sidelines due to an injury.

Pantoja is seeking his third consecutive title defense since becoming champion in July 2023. The Brazilian defeated Steve Erceg by unanimous decision in the UFC 301 main event in May in his home country. Pantoja, 34, has won six in a row.

Asakura signed with the UFC in June and is receiving a rare immediate title shot. The 30-year-old Japanese star competed under the Rizin FF banner from 2017-23. He primarily competed at 135 pounds and held the title on two occasions. Asakura is coming off a knockout win over former Bellator champion Juan Archuleta last December and is 5-1 in his last six fights dating back to 2021.