In one of the most anticipated welterweight matchups in recent years, undefeated stars Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry stepped into the co-main event spotlight at UFC 310 to determine who would be next for a shot at the 170-pound crown.
Rakhmonov goes into the bout with an 18-0 record with all of his victories coming inside the distance. Meanwhile, ‘The Future’ boasts a 15-0 record with wins over Neil Gagny, Geoff Neal, and Michael ‘Venom’ Page in his last three outings.
Round 1
Things start slow with both fighters getting reads on one another. Shavkat Rakhmonov offers up a left before closing the distance and clinching up with Garry against the fence. Shavkat Rakhmonov has double underhooks and attempts to muscle Garry down, but ‘The Future’ stays upright. Rakhmonov keeps his grip on Garry, taking his back against the fence. Garry turns his hips to get back into a 50/50 position. Garry reverses the clinch and nearly trips up Rakhmonov, but ‘Nomad’ stays on his feet and reverses the position once again, giving him the advantage against the fence.
With 30 seconds left in the round, the fighters separate and Rakhmonov lands a big right hand that snaps Garry’s head back. Rakhmonov immediately clinches up again against the fence and rides out the remainder of the round in control.
🇰🇿 HUGE right hand from Shavkat Rakhmonov#UFC #UFC310
— Delinquent MMA (@DelinquentMMA) December 8, 2024
pic.twitter.com/nwHGZCN9Xn
Round 2
Rakhmonov starts the second round with a spinning heel kick that misses. Garry offers up a calf kick as Rakhmonov slowly starts to pressure Garry against the fence. Garry lands a nice jab and Rakhmonov comes right back with a snapping jab of his own. Neither fighter is biting on the feints of the other, but Rakhmonov lands another nice jab. Garry goes high with a kick that Rakhmonov blocks. Garry follows that up with a jab to the body. Rakhmonov clips Garry with a right hand. He follows it up with a left and Garry immediately clinches up, putting Rakhmonov’s back against the fence.
Rakhmonov reverses the position and attempts to take down Garry as he did in the first round. Garry stays upright and it looks like Garry is registering a complaint with the ref, suggesting Rakhmonov is grappling the inside of his glove. With the fighters at a stalemate, Rakhmonov backs away and both of them return to the center of the cage where they exchange a few strikes before the horn.
Round 3
Rakhmonov throws a head kick early that is partially blocked by Garry. ‘The Future’ fires back with a body kick. Rakhmonov comes back with a one-two. Garry throws a calf kick but eats a left hand from Rakhmonov followed by a jab to the body. Rakhmonov swings with a right hand. Garry ducks under and clinches up, but Rakhmonov immediately reverses it, pinning Garry’s back to the fence for the umpteenth time.
Rakhmonov throws a nice knee to the body. After a couple of minutes against the fence, referee Marc Goddard separates them for the first time in the fight. Garry quickly throws a high kick followed by another. Garry lands a jab but narrowly misses a booming right hand from Rakhmonov. Garry circles again, but Rakhmonov eventually catches him with a right just before the end of the round.
Round 4
Rakhmonov lands a nice spinning attack to the body of Garry early, but Garry fires back with a calf kick that takes Rakhmonov off balance momentarily. Rakhmonov moves in and clinches up with Garry, but ‘The Future’ separates. Wasting no time, Rakhmonov shoots in for another takedown, this time attacking the legs. That strategy works as Garry comes crashing down and Rakhmonov settles into his guard.
Garry scrambles and has a chance to separate, but instead tries to engage and ultimately allows Rakhmonov to take his back against the fence. Garry finally gains some separation, but Rakhmonov immediately shoots in and scores another double-leg. This time, Rakhmonov keeps Garry on the mat for the remainder of the round, but can’t take advantage of the position.
Round 5
Garry opens with a left but immediately eats a counter right from Rakhmonov. ‘Nomad’ shoots in for another takedown that Garry defends. Rakhmonov fails to secure the takedown and Garry takes his back with over four minutes to go in the round. Rakhmonov locks in a body triangle and starts fishing for a rear-naked choke. Garry locks his hands together, but the hold is not under the chin. Rakhmonov is defending, fighting the hand, and eventually reverses the position, getting on top of Garry just before the halfway point of the round.
Garry keeps hold of the body triangle, but it’s Rakhmonov who is in the dominant position now. Rakhmonov goes to work on top, but Garry uses the cage to wall-walk his way back up. Rakhmonov stays in control against the cage and Garry throws a hail mary spinning back fist as the fight comes to an end.
And still Undefeated 19-0-0 Shavkat Rakhmonov! #UFC310pic.twitter.com/6AbOrVCyc1
— Deady Kalesh🔞 (@Deadlykalesh) December 8, 2024
Official Result: Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry show respect to each other after the fight. 🤝#ufc310 #MMA pic.twitter.com/JlPXxCUrrj
— MMA.PROS.PICK (@MMAPROSPICK) December 8, 2024