On to the UFC 310 main card! Possibly a cracker at featherweight with this first fight: Nate Landwehr vs. Dooho Choi.

It takes a while, but finally both fighters are in the ring.

Here’s what Smith told the UFC this week about his late friend and trainer Scott Morton:

“He and I have trained every day or twice a day since I was 17, an average of almost six days a week. And he was my coach, but that was just one of the smaller aspects of who he was. This guy was my best friend. He was my mentor, my older brother and my father figure.”

Now he tells Joe Rogan: “I don’t give a damn about the fight. This guy was my best friend. I thought I could push it down, but I couldn’t even control it when I walked out of here. I don’t know how many times I can do this without him.”

Smith adds that it is “probably” his last fight.

Smith grabs a single leg on the feet after a timeout, but Reyes breaks free.

Neat overhand right for Smith, then there’s a brief pause in play due to an accidental eye poke on Reyes.

On the road again. Both men are landing straight punches. Lead uppercut from Reyes from the southpaw position.

Smith throws a series of jabs and Reyes now adds some crosses. Smith sensed this.

Three stiff jabs from Reyes and Smith sticks his tongue out at his fellow American.

Smith goes for a single leg but Reyes defends with some nasty elbows! It’s already 42-0 for Reyes in significant hits this round!

Smith is now kneeling on the mat, still eating elbows and punches. Reyes goes into half defense where he lands more punches.

Reyes has now scored 127 significant strikes – I believe in the fight rather than this round.

And finally referee Marc Goddard intervenes. Reyes gets the TKO.

Dominick Reyes defeated. Anthony Smith via second-round TKO (ground strikes, 4:46)

Now it’s on to the light heavyweight division, where Anthony Smith takes on Dominick Reyes.

This is a meeting of former title challengers; In 2019, Smith was easily outclassed by then-champion Jon Jones, who won a highly controversial decision over Reyes in 2020.

Smith is fighting despite the death of his trainer and close friend Scott Morton last month. Morton died of a heart attack at just 47 years old.

Smith looks incredibly emotional.

Next up are Vicente Luque and Themba Gorimbo at welterweight.

Gorimbo steps in for UFC legend Nick Diaz, who was unable to make it through his training camp.

OH! Luque drops Gorimbo early with a short right hook and then grabs an anaconda choke! He’s killing Gorimbo!

Vicente Luque defeated. Themba Gorimbo by submission in the first round (Anaconda Choke, 0:52)

This could be the decisive round. Evloev misses with a twisted back fist, and Sterling uses his momentum against him to perfectly time a bodylock takedown.

Evloev is against the fence but is thrown to the mat. The Russian gets back to his feet but is trapped by the cage wall.

He manages to roll free and in the ensuing scramble Evloev ends up in Sterling’s guard! Sterling stays standing but is dragged to the ground and Evloev works to gain the gap…

Sterling only needs a minute left to survive a submission, and he could very well win this fight – even if it’s been close the whole time… Let’s get to the scorecards.

Movsar Evloev defeated. Aljamain Sterling by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Wow. In my opinion the wrong way. That was a pretty clear 29-28 for Sterling.

Sterling has Merab Dvalishvili, the men’s bantamweight champion, in his corner. The two are longtime teammates and Dvalishvili captured the title from Sean O’Malley in September, a year after Sterling lost the belt to O’Malley.

Sterling with a well-timed takedown to start the second round! He has Evloev on the fence, but Evloev is able to reverse the position. He has a crucifix for now… and then takes it back!

What a roller coaster ride this fight has been. Such a fight at the highest level. Sterling explodes free and the featherweights are up!

A wild exchange of blows ensues. Both men are winged punches. Evloev catches a kick, beats Sterling and ends up in half guard.

The tide turns again and Sterling manages to get to his knees and drive Evloev to the fence.

Lots of activity from Sterling early on as Evloev tries to make reads. Sterling uses kicks to keep the distance at the desired level and then a neat right cross.

Now a takedown! The Jamaican-American just about manages to get Evloev to the mat, switching from a single leg lock to a rear body lock.

Evloev is able to crawl to the fence, but Sterling slowly works to hook his leg hook and he does. He now tries to turn it into a body triangle with Evloev sitting on the mat.

Evloev is finally able to pull off Sterling’s hook and stand, but he is thrown to the mat by the “Funkmaster”!

However, Evloev collects well and is now responsible for this grappling exchange… He finishes the round first, but Sterling won this round.

However, it was a fascinating final minute where Evloev showed off his own wrestling skills.

Next up is the fight of a potential contender for the number 1 featherweight ranking. It’s criminal that this one is in the preliminary round.

Sterling, a former bantamweight champion, won his 145-pound debut in April by outpointing Calvin Kattar.

Now he faces a tough test in unbeaten Evloev, who sits on the edge of the title picture at 18-0.

Can Sterling push past the Russian and get into the title conversation? Let’s find out.

Bryan Battle defeated. Randy Brown via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28).

Boos for the fight after he missed four pounds at yesterday’s weigh-in. But 29-28 in his favor seemed to be the right result.

“Who are you booing?” he asks the crowd. “I know all those sick, perverted degenerates in Las Vegas aren’t booing the ‘Butcher.’ I just put my heart out there for you.”