Rakhmonov-Garry set for UFC 310; Covington returns vs. Buckley in Tampa

Ian Machado Garry is stepping in to face Shavkat Rakhmonov in the new five-round co-main event of UFC 310 on Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, UFC CEO Dana White announced Friday night.

Garry - who was scheduled to headline UFC Tampa against Joaquin Buckley on Dec. 14 - replaces welterweight champion Belal Muhammad after Muhammad pulled out of the UFC 310 main event against Rakhmonov in late October due to a bone infection in his foot. Rakhmonov-Garry won't be for the interim 170-pound title.

Meanwhile, Colby Covington has agreed to return to face Buckley in the new UFC Tampa main event.

White also announced that a previously scheduled flyweight title bout between champion Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura has been elevated to the UFC 310 headliner.

The fight between Rakhmonov and Garry - both of whom are undefeated - is almost guaranteed to decide Muhammad's next challenger. Rakhmonov is 6-0 in the UFC and 18-0 as a pro with all finishes. Garry has won eight fights in the Octagon and holds a 15-0 career record.

Rakhmonov and Garry are ranked No. 3 and No. 7 in the division, respectively.

Rakhmonov had expressed interest in an interim title bout against former champion Kamaru Usman and wrote on X that he was "very disappointed" in the division's contenders - aside from Garry - for not stepping up on short notice.

Covington hasn't stepped into the cage since suffering a unanimous decision defeat in a title fight against then-champion Leon Edwards at UFC 296 last December. Covington, a former interim champ, is seeking his first victory since March 2022 when he takes on Buckley - who has won five straight - at UFC Tampa.