Exclusive: Michael Chiesa shares bold prediction for upcoming Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry fight at UFC 310 

A thrilling co-main event at UFC 310 awaits as undefeated welterweights Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry face off on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Dana White recently announced the high-stakes matchup, which materialized after Belal Muhammad withdrew from the pay-per-view due to a severe toe infection. Muhammad was initially expected to defend the 170-pound belt against Rakhmonov.

Garry stepped in to take on Rakhmonov and will now fight one week earlier than his previously scheduled bout against Joaquin Buckley on Dec. 14 at UFC Tampa. With perfect records on the line, the winner of UFC 308's co-headliner will get a shot at Muhammad’s title in 2025.

Welterweight contender Michael Chiesa weighed in on the clash, offering his insights. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, he said:

“I'll keep it short, you know? There's some sparring footage that came out of Ian Gary and Shavkat. I think that they're both going to be very familiar with each… I think this fight goes to decision.. They're going to negate a few of the attacks and it's going to be a matter of who can come in there and throw a new wrinkle into their game."

He added:

"I think for shavkat, if he can find a way to get this fight to the mat, I think that could benefit him a lot. And for Ian I think that it's just going to be a matter of, I think, that if he can change stances, a little bit use the kicks, I think he can have a lot of success. But when it's all s done and the dust settles I think Shavkat walks out with his hand raised and is the rightful number one contender.”

Check out Michael Chiesa's prediction below (7:37):

UFC 310 will also feature flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defending his title against Kai Asakura, who makes his UFC debut, in the main event.

---

Kamaru Usman weighs in on Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry fight for UFC 310

Kamaru Usman shared his thoughts on the highly anticipated matchup between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310 during the latest episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo. The former welterweight champion offered his analysis, highlighting contrasting fighting styles and the potential dynamics of the bout:

''I like the matchup, but we have a tendency to get excited for these Ian Garry matchups, and they don’t turn out the way we think... It’s just the way that Ian Garry likes to fight... Make it look pretty to where you have a guy like Shavkat, who is kind of a seek and destroy type of guy. He wants to get into the action. So, I like the matchup, of course.''

Breaking down the fight, Usman predicted an intriguing clash of strategies:

''I think it’s a good fight. Shavkat is going to come forward. He’s going to try to seek and destroy as he always does, and Ian Garry is going to move around to create the space, to try to find the good strikes. So, it’s a good fight on paper. I don’t know how it’s going to look on fight night.”

Check out Kamaru Usman's comments below (53:19):