When Belal Muhammad defeated Leon Edwards to become the welterweight champion at UFC 304, there was a common consensus for who his first challenger would be.
At 18-0 with all finishes, Shavkat Rakhmonov currently holds the #3-ranking at 170-pounds and is a huge threat to anyone in the division.
There is, however, another contender that is still ranked above Rakhmonov despite the fact that he has lost his last three fights.
Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was beaten by Edwards in consecutive fights before taking a short notice opportunity against Khamzat Chimaev up at middleweight.
Though he may be lacking some momentum right now, Usman was a dominant champion whose name still carries a lot of weight, which could be enough to see him jump back into the title picture.
Chael Sonnen Says Kamaru Usman Needs To Push For Welterweight Title Shot Because He’s So Close
In a recent YouTube video, Chael Sonnen was very keen to push just how close Usman is to the title shot for a number of reasons.
He said that he needed to come out and say this after “The Nigerian Nightmare” had called out Rakhmonov when in reality, he should be trying to get the title shot instead because it’s possible.
Sonnen made reference to how despite both men having fanbases away from the usual US audience of the UFC, the promotion might have some doubts about having Muhammad and Rakhmonov headline an event – which Usman can use to better his case.
With Usman being a much more familiar face, he could jump in front of Rakhmonov thanks to his name and pedigree even if his fellow contender is much more deserving based on current form.
“He is right there about to get Belal, I mean he is right there. There is only one guy even in discussion that might nudge him out and that is Rakhmonov and it’s wildly important that they get this figured out. If Rakhmonov nudges him out, there’s probably not going to be another time that Kamaru’s going to be needed.
“This is the time, he’s got to beat him. Rakhmonov has got to shine himself up just a little bit more. The UFC, no matter how big it is and no matter what the fan base is, is not ready for a press conference with Muhammad and Rakhmonov and Kamaru Usman has got to push that narrative. I’m only sharing that because he is this close and at one point he didn’t know it.”
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