Tag: Shavkat Rakhmonov

Top UFC welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov believes champion Belal Muhammad could have made their planned fight date if he really wanted to.

Rakhmonov entered November with a first shot at title glory on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in the calendar. The undefeated “Nomad” was booked in as the first challenger in the reign of Muhammad, which got underway with a dominant display opposite Leon Edwards this past July.

But their UFC 310 main event is no more following an injury to the champ, who revealed this past weekend that he had been hospitalized with a gruesome bone infection that will prevent him from training for the next six weeks.

With that, the Dec. 7 headline spot is in limbo, as is Rakhmonov’s place on the lineup for the promotion’s final pay-per-view of the year.

But the Kazakh contender evidently doesn’t believe this difficult scenario had to come to fruition.

During Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Rakhmonov addressed the current situation, questioning if Muhammad really did have to withdraw.

“I think he was able to fight on Dec. 7, but he wasn’t sure and is being extra careful,” Rakhmonov said. “I was just envisioning myself getting the win and it doesn’t matter how or which way. Belal is a good opponent, but I believe I can work with him in any field. I can counter him, I can pressure him, I just only see my (hand) getting raised in a fight against him.

“I don’t believe it’s going to be six weeks (to recover), to be honest. I believe Jack Della (had) the same problem with infection and he’s still not back. It can take a while,” Rakhmonov continued. “Belal doesn’t need to be greedy. If I become interim champ, he’s still going to have a belt too.”

Nevertheless, should he capture an interim title in Muhammad’s absence, Rakhmonov believes that will only make his eventual showdown with “Remember the Name” even bigger in 2025.

“It’s good for Belal, too. It’s only going to make the fight bigger,” Rakhmonov stated. “Champ vs. champ whenever Belal is ready. Obviously, after I secure the interim title, I’m going to fight him. First quarter of next year I believe is already scheduled and taken so he cannot come back soon, anyway.”

“Nomad” appeared more sympathetic toward his division’s champ soon after news of his injury emerged, taking to social media to wish Muhammad well in his recovery.

The Kazakh fighter can likely now expect some backlash from Muhammad after questioning the serious nature of his bone infection.

• Read More: Khalil Rountree Reveals Latest Image Of Facial Injuries Suffered At The Hands Of Alex Pereira

Continue Reading Shavkat Rakhmonov Doubts Belal Muhammad Had To Withdraw From UFC 310: ‘I Think He Was Able’  at MMA News.

UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad is reportedly out of his scheduled title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.

Muhammad completed his ascent to the mountaintop at 170 pounds this past July in Manchester, England, where he upset the odds to get the better of Leon Edwards across five rounds in their rematch.

Eager to be active and face the toughest tests available to him, “Remember the Name” welcomed the challenge of undefeated phenom Rakhmonov. The promotion obliged, booking the pair to headline the UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas on Dec. 7.

On Wednesday, however, rumors began to circulate of a possible cancellation. Australian MMA insider @Bendaman2001 — who broke news of Khamzat Chimaev’s withdrawal from the Saudi Arabia UFC Fight Night this past June — was the first to suggest an issue with the UFC 310 headliner.

A more definitive report later came from longtime MMA media figure Al Zullino, who noted that the UFC is actively searching for a replacement fight to headline the final numbered card of 2024.

Should this news be confirmed, it’ll mark a setback in Rakhmonov’s title ambitions. The Kazakh fighter earned his opportunity with a 6-0 run since signing with the UFC back in 2020 off the back of championship success in M-1 Global.

It remains to be seen whether “Nomad” will remain on the UFC 310 card and face another top contender or patiently await a rescheduled clash with Muhammad in 2025.

This marks the latest blow to the Dec. 7 event, which already lost a crucial strawweight clash between the highly regarded Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba.

The lineup does still boast a title fight, though, with flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja set to welcome former Rizin champ Kai Asakura to the UFC in defense of his gold.

• Read More: UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Ikram Aliskerov Returns In Saudi Arabia

Continue Reading Report: Belal Muhammad Out Of Shavkat Rakhmonov Title Fight At UFC 310 at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad recently weighed in on why he believes he has the upper hand against Shavkat Rakhmonov in their upcoming clash.

Muhammad is poised to defend his welterweight title against Rakhmonov in the main event of UFC 310, scheduled for December 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Remember the Name” is riding a wave of confidence after decisively dethroning former champion Leon Edwards with a unanimous decision victory at UFC 304 in July. In a bold move, he chose “Nomad,” who is regarded as one of the most daunting competitors in the 170-pound division, as his opponent for his first title defense.

Despite his impressive 11-fight unbeaten streak and championship status, Muhammad opened up as a significant underdog against Rakhmonov on the betting line. However, the 36-year-old Chicago native believes that Rakhmonov has yet to face a fighter quite like him.

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, “Remember the Name” acknowledged Rakhmonov’s ascent through the ranks but confidently asserted that he is far tougher. Muhammad emphasized that he plans to apply unprecedented pressure and test Rakhmonov’s limits, pushing him to his breaking point.

“But I think that the difference between me and everybody he’s faced is I’m not gonna go in there intimidated,” Muhammad said. “I’ve fought in every style; I’ve fought everybody — the best of the best. I’ve been with the biggest names, and for myself, I’ve gotten over all those humps. He hasn’t gotten over that hump yet. A lot of the guys he’s fought go in there intimidated, already seeing him, and you can just see in a lot of these guys they’ll just fall or they’ll break right away for him.

“Now you’re going against somebody that’s tougher; you’re going against somebody that’s not gonna fall; you’re going against somebody that’s gonna stand right there in front of your face the whole time. Then what do you do? How do you react? He hasn’t had to face that type of fighter in the UFC yet; he hasn’t had those types of wars yet.”

“Nomad” remains unbeaten in his professional career, boasting an impressive 100 percent finish rate. With a UFC record of 6-0, he is riding a wave of momentum after securing a second-round submission victory against former title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 296 in December 2023.

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Continue Reading Belal Muhammad Claims Competitive Edge Over Shavkat Rakhmonov at MMA News.