In a surprising twist, Dana White went from losing the main event of UFC 310 due to Belal Muhammad pulling out against Shavkat Rakhmonov, to putting together one of the most stacked cards of the year in 2024’s final PPV card. For a while, there was some uncertainty regarding who would end up facing the Kazakh phenom. The UFC head honcho also had the task of finding a replacement headliner amid all the confusion. However, now with Ian Garry being the replacement for Belal Muhammad, and Alexandre Pantoja defending his title against Kai Asakura in the main event, this card looks to deliver on all fronts. While the flyweight title fight is the main event, many fans are touting Garry vs. Rakhmonov as the ‘people’s main event’. However, UFC welterweight Kamaru Usman doesn’t think the fight will live up to the hype it’s getting. But ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ doubts the fight will be the slugfest fans are expecting,

“I love the fight on paper but I don’t think it’s gonna be as exciting as people think. People are expecting blood, oh this and that but I don’t think it’s gonna be that, because Ian Garry is a smart fighter who’s willing to just – if he has to dance around for thirty minutes he’s gonna dance around. He’s willing to do that in order to create the space that he wants in order to try to land his strikes. Shavkat not necessarily. Shavkat is gonna play the game but Shavkat at some point will want to get going.”, Kamaru Usman said to Henry Cejudo in the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast, in an excerpt shared by the  ‘MMA.PROS.PICK’ X handle.

“We know Henry, it takes two to tango. If Ian doesn’t wanna get going, that fight might not be the blood bath that everyone is expecting, everybody is craving.”, said Usman, expressing his skepticism. However, the Nigerian-American did acknowledge the scale of the fight on paper.

UFC CEO Dana White did a great job roping in Ian Garry at the last moment. The two co-main event fighters have a history of training together, and the fact that one of them will lose their undefeated status by the end of the night makes the bout that much more intriguing. Furthermore, both fighters have an electrifying fighting style and a penchant for finishing their opponents, so fans are expecting nothing short of fireworks.

Ian Garry is confident of keeping his winning momentum intact at UFC 310

Henri Hooft, Ian Garry’s head coach at Kill Cliff FC, recently shared an interesting exchange he had with Shavkat Rakhmonov. During their conversation, Rakhmonov recognized the immense potential and power that Garry possesses, confidently predicting that the 27-year-old would one day claim the welterweight title. However, Rakhmonov added a bold caveat—he assured Hooft that Garry would only get his hands on the belt after Rakhmonov had won it first and brought it home to Kazakhstan.

The Irish mixed martial artist is unfazed by Rakhmonov’s confession and said, “Shavkat Rakhmonov and him had a conversation and he said, ‘Shavkat knows you’re going to be the champion one day but he says me first and him later’. So, it’s unfortunate that one of are gonna have to lose. And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure that he is not getting his hand raised.” Rakhmonov’s calm demeanor outside the cage belies the ferocity he unleashes within it. Each performance has showcased his ability to adapt and dominate, making him a nightmare for anyone in the division.

However, his Irish opponent is walking in with a lot of purpose and wants to beat him. Can Ian Garry end the winning streak of Shavkat Rakhmonov? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.