Shavkat Rakhmonov and Belal Muhammad are having a war of words once again. Following Muhammad’s victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 to claim the welterweight title, the focus shifted to who would be next in line for a title shot. Rakhmonov revealed that Muhammad turned down an offer for a title shot back in October, raising doubts about Muhammad’s commitment to being an active champion.
In response, Muhammad suggested a No. 1 contender match between Rakhmonov and former champion Kamaru Usman since Rakhmonov has not competed in 2024 yet. Rakhmonov was not impressed by this proposal and reminded Muhammad of his own extended break from the sport before his title shot.
The exchange continued on social media, with Rakhmonov emphasizing Muhammad’s past periods of inactivity. Talks about a potential matchup between the two fighters are ongoing, with Muhammad even jesting about the UFC’s interest in making it happen. However, Rakhmonov quickly responded, hinting that Muhammad may not fully grasp who he is as a fighter.
As for a potential fight between Rakhmonov and Muhammad, it might not take place this year. With the UFC’s 2024 schedule almost finalized, the opportunities for the bout would likely be at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16 or at UFC 310 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 7. UFC 309 is expected to feature Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic in the headline bout, while UFC 310’s main event has yet to be determined.
