Anticipated Top 5 UFC Battles Scheduled for December
UFC's Highly Anticipated December Fights
Quintin van Jaarsveld takes a look at the five most thrilling fights to look forward to as the UFC wraps up 2024 with two stacked cards.
Fight 1: Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Asakura
🗓️ Sunday, 8th December SA Time
Looking to maintain his reign, champion Alexandre Pantoja faces tough contender Kai Asakura in the main event of UFC 310 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. With two successful title defenses, Pantoja is eyeing a third, which would tie him with Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez for the most wins in flyweight history. Asakura, a former RIZIN bantamweight champ, will be making his promotional debut, becoming only the third fighter in the modern era to be granted a title shot immediately.
Fight 2: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs Ian Machado Garry
🗓️ Sunday, 8th December SA Time
In the co-headliner of UFC 310, undefeated welterweight stars Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry square off in a highly-anticipated No. 1 contender bout. Originally set to challenge Belal Muhammad for the title in the main event, Rakhmonov now meets Garry in this five-round showdown. Garry, who was previously scheduled to headline the UFC Tampa card one week later, has long expressed his desire to face Rakhmonov.
Fight 3: Ciryl Gane vs Alexander Volkov (Rematch)
🗓️ Sunday, 8th December SA Time
The second and third ranked heavyweights in the world, Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov, engage in a highly-anticipated rematch at UFC 310. Gane won their initial encounter in June 2021, but Volkov, who is on a win streak, seeks revenge and a shot at the title.
Fight 4: Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley
🗓️ Sunday, 15th December SA Time
The final fight of the year brings former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington up against surging young gun Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Tampa. With a history of high-level wrestling and trash-talking, Covington aims to steal the show from Buckley, who is undefeated at welterweight and riding a wave of five wins that includes knockouts of Vicente Luque and Stephen Thompson.
Fight 5: Mackenzie Dern vs Amanda Ribas (Rematch)
🗓️ Sunday, 15th December SA Time
In the co-main event of UFC Tampa, Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas face off after five years. Dern seeks revenge after Ribas ended her undefeated streak in 2019, while Ribas, a sharp striker, is looking to continue her success since returning to strawweight.
While specific December 2024 UFC fights aren't available at this time, check back for updates on official UFC announcements and reputable MMA news sites as we get closer to the events.
Quintin van Jaarsveld, a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and former Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year, has over 15 years of experience in sports journalism. He is currently a freelance sports writer.
- The upcoming UFC fights in December promise to be a thrilling mix of sports, with rugby and pantoja taking a backseat for a while.
- The highly-anticipated returns of Alexandre Pantoja and Colby Covington in their respective matches at UFC 310 and UFC Tampa are sure to reignite fan's excitement for sports.
- In the welterweight division, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry, two undefeated stars, are set for an exciting clash in the co-headliner of UFC 310.
- The welterweight contender bout between Kai Asakura and Alexandre Pantoja, a potential title-deciding match, marks the first UFC appearance for Asakura, a former RIZIN bantamweight champion.
