UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad recently spoke out about the possibility of an interim title fight while he’s recovering from a toe infection. Although he disagrees with the idea, he can understand Shavkat Rakhmonov’s eagerness to keep the UFC 310 main event alive.
Muhammad, who holds an impressive 24-3 MMA and 15-3 UFC record, had been scheduled to defend his welterweight title for the first time against Rakhmonov on December 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, a sudden toe infection forced Muhammad to pull out, disrupting the anticipated showdown.
When the issue came up, Muhammad initially hoped he could still participate in the fight. But as he revealed, his doctor advised immediate action, saying the infection was severe and required surgery right away. According to the doctor, Muhammad’s timing was spot on, meaning he could recover relatively quickly and return to action.
While Muhammad is on the mend, Rakhmonov, who remains undefeated with an 18-0 MMA and 6-0 UFC record, has been vocal about his desire for an interim title fight. The UFC, meanwhile, needs a replacement main event for UFC 310.
Belal Muhammad Responds to Shavkat Rakhmonov’s Interim Title Request Amid Injury Recovery
“I could see them trying to do something with Shavkat, but he’s calling for an interim title fight,” Muhammad said on his show, Remember the Show. “It’s like, interim title fight? Bro, it’s six weeks, not six months that I’m off.”
Muhammad added that he’s not overly concerned about the interim title, especially since, in his view, there’s a clear champion in the division:
“If they want to make it a main event, I mean, I don’t really care about it if they want to make an interim title fight regardless, because they know who has the real belt. So for me, I know who my next opponent is going to be.”
Muhammad mentioned that, while he sees some benefit in a temporary title, he’s unsure if there’s anyone available who could reasonably step in as a contender. His expected timeline for recovery has him ready to return by early 2025, which could align with Rakhmonov’s next fight—assuming Rakhmonov is willing to wait a few extra weeks.
Potential replacements for Rakhmonov’s opponent include Ian Machado Garry and Joaquin Buckley, both of whom showed interest in stepping up. However, both are already scheduled to face off at UFC on ESPN 63 in Tampa, Florida, on December 14. Meanwhile, former champion Kamaru Usman is an option, but since he and Rakhmonov train together, a matchup between them would be complicated. Jack Della Maddalena also ranks near the top of the division, but rumours suggest he may be dealing with his own health issues.
Muhammad Feels Interim UFC Title Makes No Sense
Considering Rakhmonov’s current training schedule, Muhammad does empathize with his desire to stay on track for a fight:
“It really doesn’t (make sense), but it’s one of those where it’s like – when you’re in the middle of camp, it’s hard, because we were like six weeks left,” Muhammad explained. “So I can understand him, he’s like, ‘Bro, I want to fight.’ That’s the only part: him and Usman are like training partners, and you guys been in the gym with each other right now. Were you guys looking at each other? Watching each other? It’s just weird.”
There’s also the possibility that the UFC might bring in a fighter from another division for the main event slot. Recently, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and contender Magomed Ankalaev hinted at a potential fight, exchanging “phone emojis” on social media, signalling their interest.
“If it’s not Pereira and Ankalaev, I don’t see it being (Dricus) Du Plessis,” Belal Muhammad commented, mentioning other fighters who might fill the gap.
“I don’t see it being, I mean, (Zhang) Weili is always up there, but I don’t see them trying to throw that one in the mix. We’ll see what Hunter (Campbell) and Dana (White) do, right? They’re the best.”
With UFC 310 coming up fast, there’s plenty of buzz around who might headline the event. Who do you think will headline the last PPV of the year?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Imagesand Embed from Getty Images
