According to reports tonight, an interim title fight between Shavkat Rakhmonov and former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman is currently in the works to take headlining status on short-notice at UFC 310 next month from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Rakhmonov, the current number three ranked contender, was slated to headline the December flagship card in an undisputed title fight against the incumbent, Belal Muhammad, until the Illinois native was forced with withdraw from the pairing citing a bone infection in his foot.
And according to reports tonight from Red Corner MMA, an interim title fight between unbeaten finishing ace, Shavkat Rakhmonov and former pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman is targeted to headline UFC 310.
Shavkat Rakhmonov targeted to fight Kamaru Usman in UFC 310 headliner
BREAKING: According to our information, the UFC is working on Shavkat Rakhmonov vs Kamaru Usman for #UFC310,” Red Corner MMA posted on X.
Currently ranked at number three in the official welterweight rankings, Rakhmonov, who boasts an undefeated 18-0 professional record, most recently turning in his eighteenth career stoppage win in the form of a submission win over former title challenger, Stephen Thompson.
Sidelined since October of last year, former undisputed champion, Usman most recently made an impromptu middleweight walk, suffering a controversial majority decision loss to the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev.
In the midst of a three-fight losing run, Auchi native, Usman dropped his welterweight crown against Leon Edwards two years ago, before suffering another contentious decision loss in the pair’s title trilogy pairing last year in London.
Without a win since 2021, Usman, a former pound-for-pound pacesetter in the UFC racked up his fifth consecutive title defense courtesy of a unanimous decision win over former interim titleholder, Colby Covington in their heated rematch.