This year, UFC CEO Dana White has successfully led the multibillion-dollar promotion to new heights with a series of historic and remarkable events. From UFC 300 to UFC 306 at ‘The Sphere’ and the recently concluded UFC 309 at MSG, the organization has dominated in terms of pay-per-view sales and live gate revenues. These achievements are the foundation of the UFC’s success, much like the crust is to a pizza—a crucial element that holds everything together. All credit goes to the blockbuster fights that Dana White expertly curates to keep fans engaged.

As the world eagerly anticipates UFC 310, headlined by Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura, the year-end final pay-per-view event promises to end 2024 with a bang before we transition into the new year. However, recent reports have cast a shadow on this optimism, revealing shockingly poor ticket sales for the upcoming T-Mobile Arena event. Could this signal trouble for the UFC’s pay-per-view numbers as well? Let’s dive deeper to understand whether UFC 310 is truly navigating troubled waters or not.

 A very underwhelming main event for the 125lbs gold

Once, Dana White dismissed flyweight king Demetrious Johnson’s demand for PPV points, bluntly stating, “We don’t give it,” while claiming that nobody cared about the flyweight division. Fast forward to now, and it seems the UFC is trying to correct that narrative with Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura headlining UFC 310. This marks a pivotal moment, as the RIZIN superstar makes his UFC debut after bidding farewell to the Japanese promotion earlier this year. It’s a dream debut for Asakura, stepping onto the biggest stage in combat sports with an immediate title shot.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Pantoja, reigning flyweight champion since mid-2023, prepares for his third title defense at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Pantoja has beaten every challenger in his path, leaving Dana White with little choice but to inject fresh energy into the division by signing the Japanese sensation. However, concerns arise as Pantoja isn’t a household name, and Asakura, is still relatively unknown among the American masses.

Earlier this year, in March, Pantoja headlined another event, defeating Steve Erceg via unanimous decision at UFC 301. Despite his dominant performance, the event suffered one of the lowest PPV buy rates in recent UFC history, with fans criticizing the lackluster card lineup on social media. Now, with UFC 310 relying on a similarly risky main event, there’s legitimate concern about how the rest of the card will unfold and whether it can attract the necessary fan interest or not.

No star power and exciting fights at UFC 310

A few weeks ago, UFC 310 was shaping up to be the battleground for a welterweight title clash between champion Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov, a contest that had been gradually turning into a stellar feud. However, the bout hit a snag when Muhammad was sidelined due to a “bone infection” in his foot, leaving the event’s future uncertain. In response, names like Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington were considered as replacements. However, Irish prospect Ian Garry has emerged as the final contender and is now set to battle the Kazakh phenom in a title eliminator bout.

The undefeated duo could add some intrigue to the card, but it remains uncertain whether their matchup will be enough to make the event truly memorable. Both fighters, despite their skills, don’t yet carry the star power to elevate the card, leaving it feeling underwhelming for fans.

So, what happened to Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington? Why didn’t they step up to save the card? Keep reading to find out.

Why is the former 170lbs champ duo not featured at UFC 310?

Once a nightmare of the welterweight division, Kamaru Usman’s incredible journey hit a rough patch with three consecutive disappointing losses, the latest of which came in 2023. A short-notice fight against someone like the undefeated Kazakh Shavkat Rakhmonov could be the type of challenge every fighter on the decline fears, which is why Usman has stayed out of the picture for UFC 310.

As for Colby Covington, he too was coming off a loss in his last outing in December 2023 against Leon Edwards. Since then, Covington has been out of the picture, taking time off to assist newly elected 47th POTUS Donald Trump with his election campaign for 2024. Now, with the election behind him, Covington is back in training camp and preparing to return to the cage—not at UFC 310, but at the UFC Fight Night event scheduled for December 14 in Tampa, Florida. There, he will face five-fight win streak runner Joaquin Buckley.

Now, all eyes are now on the upcoming UFC 310. Can RIZIN legend Kai Asakura’s presence elevate the fight card and turn around the slumping PPV and ticket sales? Or will the clash between Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov be the spark needed to generate enough buzz and secure strong PPV buys? Stay tuned for more updates.