According to unbeaten welterweight challenger, Shavkat Rakhmonov, a potential title fight with current gold holder, Belal Muhammad was floated for UFC 307 in Salt Lake City — before the newly-minted champion is alleged to have turned down the matchup.
Muhammad, the current undisputed welterweight gold holder, managed to land the divisional crown in the main event of UFC 304 at the end of July, turning in a dominant unanimous decision win over Leon Edwards in the pair’s title rematch in Manchester, England.
As for Uzbekistan native, Rakhmonov, the perfect finisher turned in his eighteenth professional win back in December of last year on the main card of UFC 296, besting former title challenger, Stephen Thompson with a stunning second round rear-naked choke win.
Shavkat Rakhmonov claims Belal Muhammad rejected title fight at UFC 307
And staking his claim for a title charge against Muhammad next ahead of former undisputed welterweight champion and pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman, Rakhmonov has now claimed the Illinois titleholder was offered a return in Utah at UFC 307 — to which he rejected.
“Yeah, actually, I’ve already been offered a fight to fight Belal (Muhammad), and I accepted the fight against Belal,” Shavkat Rakhmonov told MMA Fighting. “But unfortunately, he declined to fight me due to timing issues. He wasn’t ready to defend his belt at this time. So, we’ll see what’s going to happen and when he’s going to be ready, so I will be able to fight him.”
Before he became a champion, and after he won the belt, he said he’s going to be an active champion, and he will defend his belt more often, but at the moment, he wasn’t backing up what he said, you know?” Shavkat Rakhmonov explained. “So, let’s see what’s going to happen, when he’s going to be ready to fight me.”