A last-minute welterweight pairing has quickly become the most eagerly anticipated UFC 310 fight.
Belal Muhammad was supposed to defend his 170lb title for the first time at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday – but he withdrew from a fight with 18-0 Shavkat Rakhmonov after suffering a bone infection.
15-0 contender Ian Garry stepped in for a short-notice title eliminator with his ex-sparring partner.
Fans are divided on the UFC 310 co-main event. So are the BloodyElbow.com staff, who have very different opinions on how Rakhmonov vs Garry will play out during Dana White‘s final pay-per-view of the year.
Bloody Elbow staff can’t agree on UFC 310 co-main event
Jordan Ellis: “I expect Shavkat Rakhmonov to make a statement in the UFC 310 co-main event. Ian Garry has eked past much lesser opponents in Michael ‘Venom’ Page and Geoff Neal. Effective game-planning is great, but against the very best you need to prove that you are their equal, rather than trying to edge out a victory with some help from the judges. Rakhmonov by stoppage.”
PREDICTION: Shavkat Rakhmonov by KO
Donagh Corby: “Ian Machado Garry has been slowly but surely turning public perception around this week as he heads into the biggest fight of his life with Shavkat Rakhmonov. This is a big change in style for both men from their initially planned bouts, and the MMA maths would tell you that Rakhmonov has found a way to finish every one of their common opponents while Garry has needed the scorecards a lot. However, I believe the Irishman has the better, more rounded game and will be able to overwhelm Shavkat. How will they fare in the championship rounds? We’ll see, but if anyone recalls Garry’s Cage Warriors title win, he thrives past the third.”
PREDICTION: Ian Garry by KO
Jamie Theodosi: “As much as I think Shavkat Rakhmonov is one of the more well rounded fighters in the UFC, I see a path to victory here for Ian Machado Garry. I see the Irishman staying on the outside and using his tremendous striking to just out point Rakhmonov, who showed against Geoff Neal that he does have a few holes in his striking defense.”
PREDICTION: Ian Garry by decision
Tom Llewellyn: “Whilst every UFC fan and their mother seems to be siding with the undefeated Kazakh, I’m predicting that ‘The Future’ will be bright after UFC 310 – Ian Machado Garry via a fourth-round TKO after Rakhmonov gasses out from repeated unsuccessful takedown attempts.”
PREDICTION: Ian Garry by KO
James Sweetnam: “In his MMA career to date, Shavkat Rakhmonov has looked nothing short of sensational, compiling an incredible record of 18-0, with every single opponent he’s faced failing to hear the final bell. Therefore, the fact that Ian Garry has volunteered to fight ‘The Boogeyman’ of the welterweight division on such short notice, suggests to me that something happened during their sparring sessions that has convinced him that he has what it takes to upset the applecart. However, while my instincts are screaming at me to go with the underdog, I simply can’t back against ‘Nomad’, finding a way to solve the puzzle in front of him, and claiming yet another stoppage victory.”
PREDICTION: Shavkat Rakhmonov by stoppage
Oscar Pick: “I believe that Shavkat Rakhmonov will win via a third-round submission. The Kazakh will have been forced to adjust his training to overcome the style of Ian Garry, a late-notice opponent. But still, Rakhmonov has shown time and time again that he is a submission specialist and should prove on Saturday that he is the number one welterweight contender.”
PREDICTION: Shavkat Rakhmonov by submission