Dana White’s influence over UFC 310 matchmaking decisions

Dana White frequently overrides his staff during matchmaking discussions. I see this tension most clearly during the Contender Series, where White and matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard often argue. White admitted that he broke his own rules when he signed Jake Hadley, a fighter who missed weight and showed a bad attitude toward staff, even though his matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard explicitly told him not to sign the prospect. Hadley missed his weight and behaved poorly toward UFC personnel during the week. Despite the pushback from Shelby and Maynard, who "stormed out of the room" in protest, White signed the 25-year-old flyweight because he believed the prospect possessed special skills. White claims he respects the input of his staff but still finds himself fighting with them nearly every Tuesday. This pattern suggests that the matchmaking process relies more on White’s intuition than on a coordinated departmental strategy.

The UFC 310 roster

The UFC 310 event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas presents a 14-fight card. Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight title against Kai Asakura, marking the first time in a decade a promotional debutant receives an immediate championship shot. Pantoja, who has a professional record of 28-5 MMA and 12-3 in the UFC, secured a second-round submission via rear-naked choke to maintain his three title defenses. The co-main event is a five-round bout between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry. Rakhmonov, the number three ranked fighter, secured a 48-47 unanimous decision victory over the number seven ranked Garry. You know the pressure these contenders face when fighting for a spot in the title conversation.

The heavyweight division attempts to find movement through the matchup between Alexander Volkov and Ciryl Gane. Gane holds a 9-2 UFC record and aims to reclaim position after losing to Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Volkov enters the fight with four consecutive wins, most recently defeating Sergei Pavlovich in June. The card also contains a middleweight bout where 40-year-old veteran Chris Weidman faces Eryk Anders at a 195-pound catchweight. Weidman seeks to build on his technical decision win over Bruno Silva. In the featherweight division, Diego Lopes faces Steve Garcia. Lopes, the number two contender, seeks to defend his ranking after a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 325. Lopes possesses 23 finishes on his MMA record, with 11 knockouts and 12 submissions. The middleweight division also sees high-level action as Bo Nickal faces Kyle Daukaus. Nickal, a 30-year-old who has stopped seven of his eight opponents, seeks to build momentum following his third-round head kick knockout of Rodolfo Vieira at UFC 322. The fight between Bryan Battle and Randy Brown also promises significant implications for the welterweight rankings. Battle enters the bout with a 6-1 UFC record and four consecutive wins.

Missed opportunities in the Octagon

The promotion’s matchmaking strategy frequently ignores the logical progression of its fighters. I find it difficult to accept the decision to book Ilia Topuria against Dan Hooker when he should have faced Islam Makhachev for the title. This choice mirrors the way the promotion handled Khamzat Chimaev last year by giving Sean Strickland a rematch instead of a title shot. White also failed to organize a bout between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, even though Jones expressed a desire to fight the interim champion. Such decisions leave the heavyweight rank with few genuine options to threaten the top of the order. The heavyweights face a period of stagnation because the promotion does not maximize its most popular stars. I also see issues with how the promotion handles injuries, which often forces fighters to step in for others at the last minute. This constant shuffling can disrupt the momentum of fighters like Vicente Luque, who must face Themba Gorimbo on short notice. Will the matchmaking staff ever gain more influence over these major decisions?