
UFC 310 delivered a night of unforgettable action! Headlined by the flyweight title matchup between Alexandre Pantoja and newcomer Kai Asakura, UFC 310 also featured a clash between top welterweight contenders Shavkat Rakhmanov and Ian Machado-Garry.
It was highlighted by three incredible finishes that showcased the versatility and skill of MMA’s finest athletes. From rapid submissions to high-stakes title defenses, this card had it all. Let’s break down the Top 3 Finishes!
3. Chase Hooper vs. Clay Guida
To start off the list, we have an early preliminary clash between Jiu-Jitsu prodigy, the 14-3-1 Chase Hooper, and the legendary 38-24 Clay Guida.
The fight began with Hooper using his significant height and reach advantage to light up Guida in the striking department.
At 1:41, Hooper secured a body lock takedown, but Guida scrambled back up at 2:05. However, 7 seconds later, Hooper scored a judo throw, despite Guida quickly scrambling back up again.
After a quick break, Hooper scored a single-leg takedown 6 seconds later, thus making it 3 takedowns in less than 3 minutes.
Guida, being the veteran that he is, scrambled back up on his feet for a third time at 3:08, only for Hooper to quickly bring the fight back down again to continue the ground work.
From there, Hooper flowed with the roll, securing an armbar and forcing the tap at 3:41.
This victory added another impressive submission and Performance of the Night bonus to Hooper’s resume.
2. Vicente Luque vs. Themba Gorimbo
In our preliminary card we have veteran Vicente Luque, “The Silent Assassin”, against rising contender Themba Gorimbo.
With records of 22-10-1 and 14-4 respectively, “The Silent Assassin” wasted no time demonstrating his elite submission skills, finishing Themba Gorimbo in under a minute.
In Round 1 Gorimbo started aggressively, throwing hard strikes in volume. However, Luque knocked down Gorimbo in 38 seconds, which allowed the Brazilian to secure an anaconda choke that put Gorimbo to sleep at only 0:52.
This quick finish cemented Luque’s reputation as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the welterweight division and earned him another Performance of the Night bonus.
1. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura
In our main event, we have the flyweight title fight between defending champion Alexandre Pantoja and former 2-time Rizin Bantamweight Champion Kai Asakura.
With a record of 28-5 including 2 title defenses, Pantoja displayed grit throughout his title reign.
On the other hand, despite making his UFC debut, Asakura proved to be a dangerous challenger with a record 21-4, 13 of which came by knockout.
Round 1 started with Asakura landing a flying knee, only for Pantoja to capitalize and take down the Japanese challenger in just 11 seconds.
Although Asakura quickly popped back up and landed single-power shots, this round was all Pantoja.
The defending champion proved to the newcomer that there are levels, by making easy work of Asakura, constantly pressing forward while mixing volume strikes with takedowns.
Round 2 saw Pantoja continuing the forward pressure to momentarily sweep Asakura within 23 seconds.
Despite Asakura quickly regaining his balance, Pantoja immediately assumed the human backpack position, neutralizing any attempt from Asakura to strike with him.
At 1:13, Pantoja brought the fight to the ground while still securing Asakura’s back.
At 2:05, Pantoja locked in a rear-naked choke that forced the tap. This marked another impressive title defense for Pantoja, solidifying his dominance in the flyweight division and earning the Brazilian a Performance of the Night bonus!