LAS VEGAS -- Kai Asakura made his UFC debut in the main event of UFC 310 in a flyweight title fight against reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. Asakura is a knockout artist from Japan who held the RIZIN bantamweight title, but he was outclassed by a talented and improving champion.
Pantoja opened the fight aggressively and clearly wanted to pressure Asakura. He landed several shots in the first round that left a massive welt on his right cheek.
But in the second round, Pantoja dragged Asakura to the ground and quickly got Asakura's back. He locked in the body triangle and then put Asakura out. Referee Jason Herzog checked Asakura's arm and stopped it at 2:05 of the second round.
He called out former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson, who retired, and said he wanted to prove he's the greatest flyweight.
Shavkat Rakhmonov wins decision over Ian Machado Garry, earns welterweight title shot
His streak of 18 finishes in as many fights ended, but it's not likely that Shavkat Rakhmonov cares all that much about that. He won a unanimous five-round decision over Ian Machado Garry to earn a shot at the welterweight title held by Belal Muhammad. All three judges had the fight 48-47, which got very entertaining in the final three rounds after an up-and-down start.
Rakhmonov had to fight off a rear naked choke attempt from Garry in the final round. Garry had control for a long period with a body triangle in. But Rakhmonov didn't panic and was able to slip out of the choke, eventually reverse position and then get to his feet.
Garry went for a calf slicer in the third that Rakhmonov defended well. Rakhmonov spent much of the fight looking to get Garry to the ground, where he could work his submission game. He landed a good right hand in the first that got Garry's attention, but it was his pressure and his grappling that carried the day.
Ciryl Gane scores controversial split decision over Alexander Volkov
The Ciryl Gane-Alexander Volkov heavyweight fight came to an unsatisfying conclusion for just about everyone. After two entertaining rounds, the fighters spent almost the entire third round grappling in the center of Octagon with little of consequence occurring.
The crowd didn't like it and really hated it when the result came out as a split decision victory for Gane. Gane won 29-28 twice and 28-29. He said in the Octagon he broke his toes in the first round. So even though he got the win over Volkov, his second in as many bouts over the big Russian, he wasn't happy.
Adelaide Byrd and Junichiro Kamijo each gave Gane the first two rounds, and so they had him winning the bout, 29-28. Eric Colon gave Volkov Rounds 2 and 3 and so he had Volkov winning, 29-28.
Volkov believed he'd won -- I had him 29-28 -- and he was clearly agitated as he left the Octagon.
What was clear is the gulf that exists between champion Jon Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall relative to to the rest of the division. Neither looked remotely capable of handling either Jones or Aspinall.
Bryce Mitchell makes statement with vicious KO of Kron Gracie
Bryce Mitchell makes his money because of his skill as a grappler, but he scored an amazing knockout of Kron Gracie early in the third round of their featherweight bout.
Gracie kept pulling guard and the crowd was booing loudly. But in the third, the tactic backfired significantly. Gracie attempted to pull guard. Mitchell caught him, slammed him and landed a series of hard left hands. Referee Keith Peterson jumped into stop it at 39 seconds of the third round.
Gracie, who was fighting with former UFC star Nate Diaz working his corner, went limp after the second of Mitchell's shots.
Doo Ho Choi dominates Nate Landwehr
Doo Ho Choi has built a reputation as an elite striker, but he showed an extremely diverse game on Saturday. He was significantly handling Landwehr in the stand-up, but he showed outstanding takedowns and terrific grappling. He had several throws that put Landwehr down and he made them count.
In the third, he caught Landwehr in a crucifix. With his arms pinned, Landwehr was defenseless and referee Chris Tognoni jumped in to halt it at 3:51 of the first.