Following the heavyweight fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, fight fans are counting down to UFC 310, the final blockbuster event of the year. Although there’s no title fight headlining the card, the hype to see two undefeated fighters, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry, is real. Recently, a video surfaced showcasing Rakhmonov’s intense training, where he is seen sparring with Nassourdine Imavov.
The event originally had a title fight lined up between Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov, but the welterweight champ had to withdraw at the last minute due to a toe injury. Stepping up in true warrior fashion, Ian Garry, much like Alex Pereira in a similar situation, agreed to face the division’s boogeyman when no one else was willing to take the challenge.
This matchup holds major implications for the future of the welterweight division. Despite the absence of championship stakes, Rakhmonov is leaving no room for complacency. Meanwhile, ahead of the event, a video surfaced on X showing Rakhmonov sparring with Nassourdine Imavov, a middleweight contender on a hot three-fight win streak with victories over Jared Cannonier, Joaquin Buckley, and others.
Shavkat Rakhmonov sparring with Nassourdine Imavov ahead of #UFC310 👀💪#UFC #MMA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 20, 2024
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The footage showcases Rakhmonov’s relentless preparation, sparring with a top-tier fighter like Imavov to refine his technique. With more fighters turning to elite peers for training support, Rakhmonov’s work with Imavov appears to be a perfect setup for his upcoming showdown against Garry.
Kamaru Usman Unsure How Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry Will Turn Out
Ian Garry’s fights are always in the spotlight, thanks to his status as McGregor’s protege and a key figure in Irish MMA. However, on a recent Pound For Pound podcast, Kamaru Usman said that Garry’s fights often turn out differently than what fans expect. While Usman believes it’s an interesting matchup, he’s not sure how things will go on fight night, even though the fight looks good on paper.
“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,” he stated.
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Indeed, it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, especially now that Usman is on board with the matchup but remains somewhat skeptical about how it’ll unfold on fight night.
