Spinning Back Clique LIVE (noon ET): Pantoja, Rakhmonov’s big UFC 310 wins, UFC 311 & 312 title booking, more

by December 9, 2024

written by December 9, 2024

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Matt Wells, and Nolan King will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

Alexandre Pantoja defended his UFC flyweight title in stellar fashion, submitting former Rizin FF champion Kai Asakura in the main event of UFC 310. After the fight, Pantoja called out former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. Could Johnson be convinced to return? If not, what’s next for Pantoja? Where does this loss leave Asakura? We discuss.
Pantoja wasn’t the only one with a big win on Saturday. Shavkat Rakhmonov cemented himself as the No. 1 contender at 170 pounds with a decision win over fellow top contender Ian Machado Garry. With a UFC title fight on the horizon, what are Rakhmonov’s chances against Belal Muhammad? How much interest could this fight draw? We react to Rakhmonov’s big win and what could be next for Machado Garry.
Plenty of other things went down at UFC 310 outside the main and co-main event. Alexander Volkov lost a controversial and highly-debated split decision to Ciryl Gane. Kron Gracie was viciously knocked out in his MMA return. And veterans Anthony Smith, Chris Weidman, and Clay Guida all took defeats – which could mark the end of their MMA careers. We react to it all.
The UFC got busy booking their next two pay-per-view shows. This past week, the promotion revealed the main and co-main event bouts for UFC 311 and UFC 312. A lightweight and bantamweight bout pitting Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan, and Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov is set to headline UFC 311 on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles. Also, a middleweight and women’s strawweight championship bout headline UFC 312 on Feb. 8 in Sydney, as Dricus Du Plessis rematches Sean Strickland, and Tatiana Suarez finally gets her long-awaited shot at Zhang Weili. We reat to the championship bookings.
Things heated up outside the octagon these last few days. Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov had to be separated backstage on Thursday, and two days later, Dvalishvili and Dennis Buzukja got physical with a fan while walking through the arena at UFC 310. Buzukja was seen punching a fan. Nate Diaz and Islam Makhachev also threw things at each other before getting separated by security, and Jamahall Hill confronted Alex Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute. What’s going on? Is the UFC properly handling security? We discuss.
This coming Saturday, the UFC closes their 2024 with a Fight Night event in Tampa, Fla. UFC on ESPN 63 features a key welterweight bout between former interim champion Colby Covington taking on rising title contender Joaquim Buckley. Who will win? Could the winner set himself up for a title shot? We break it all down.