All eyes will be on UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, but MMA fans still have questions about the main event of UFC 310 in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena.

On Thursday, during the press event ahead of UFC 309, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about the main event, and he responded, “we’ll announce it tomorrow. It’s going to be good.”

Initially, the main event would see UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad make his first defense of his title against undefeated Uzbek contender Shavkat Rahkmonov. However, Mohammed developed a bone infection in his toe that forced him out.

The UFC has attempted to find a replacement for Muhammad, but no announcement has been made. Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman withdrew from consideration, saying the December 7 date would be “too early” for him to make that challenge.

There aren’t many other options for Rahkmonov in the division, with most of the other guys in the Top 10 already scheduled, recently active or coming back from injury. Sean Brady, Jack Della Maddalena and Colby Covington are the only names that make sense.

We’ll see if that becomes a reality; But even if Rahkmonov gets one of those guys to step up on short notice, it won’t be for a title unless the UFC decides to create another interim championship situation. That could be a premature move depending on how long Mohammed is expected to be out of action. If the UFC wants to make an interim title fight, they can pluck Ian Machado Garry from his UFC Tampa fight against Joaquin Buckley and put him with Rahkmonov.

Some smaller outlets report this to be the case.

If Rahkmonov remains on the card against another top welterweight, it still appears his fight is destined to be relegated to the co-main event, while the UFC men’s flyweight championship will be between titleholder Alexandre Pantoja and Japanese challenger Kai Asakura elevated to headliner.

The UFC usually tries to avoid flyweight headliners when they can, and that’s the expectation here as well. Many of the UFC’s other titles are stuck in situations that would make it difficult or impossible to rocket a fight from that division to the top spot.

Jon Jones defends the heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic on Saturday. Tom Aspinall is the interim champion and backup, but it’s hard to imagine who the UFC could put him in a fight with or why he would risk an injury or loss when he knows his shot at the Undisputed Title is at hands.

Alex Pereira came to the rescue twice this year due to injury-plagued cards. We’re told the fight between him and Magomed Ankalaev won’t be used as a draw card for UFC 310.

Dricus Du Plessis’ next defense was scheduled to take place in South Africa, and White told Jim Rome on Thursday that he wants Khamzat Chimaev to fight for the title in the United States in 2025. That fight doesn’t have to be against Du Plessis. , although that seems to be the preferred match.

Islam Makhachev is expected to defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan in January.

Ilia Topuria just fought in October and the subsequent defense of his featherweight title will take place in Spain, according to White.

Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov seem like a possibility. However, it seems a bit unlikely that the former would make his first title defense anytime soon, especially against a formidable opponent like Nurmagomedov.

Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison are likely the next matchup for the women’s bantamweight title unless Amanda Nunes returns. Both Pena and Harrison fought in October, so that seems highly unlikely.

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot is next for the women’s flyweight title, but that’s a championship fight that seems destined to be the co-main event with a huge pay-per-view.

Finally, there is Weili Zhang, who defended her title against Virna Jandiroba. The Brazilian veteran was scheduled to face No. 1 contender Tatiana Suarez at UFC 310, but the latter withdrew. Like Shevchenko-Fiorot, that doesn’t feel like a fight worthy of a main event, but at this point the UFC may be in damage control for this card.

Fortunately, according to White, we will find out on Friday.