Belal Muhammad Withdraws: A Shock in UFC 310
UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad will not participate in his scheduled title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. This news comes shortly after Muhammad crowned himself at the 170-pound summit last July in Manchester, England, where he shocked everyone with a victory over Leon Edwards in a five-round rematch. Excited to keep his fighting career vibrant, “Remember the Name” accepted the challenge from the undefeated phenomenon Rakhmonov. The UFC quickly responded, arranging for this matchup to be the centerpiece of the UFC 310 event in Las Vegas on December 7.
The Future of Shavkat Rakhmonov: Waiting for a New Opponent or a Rematch with Muhammad?
However, last Wednesday, rumors began to surface that the fight could be canceled. An MMA insider in Australia, @Bendaman2001, who previously reported Khamzat Chimaev’s withdrawal from the UFC Fight Night event in Arabia in June, was the first to bring attention to the issues surrounding the main event at UFC 310. A more detailed report was issued by veteran MMA journalist Al Zullino, who indicated that the UFC is actively searching for a replacement fight to highlight the final event of 2024. If this information is confirmed, it would be a shock to Rakhmonov’s title aspirations, as he has worked hard to climb with a six-fight winning streak since signing with the UFC in 2020 after achieving success in M-1 Global.
It remains unclear whether “Nomad” will continue to participate in UFC 310 with another top opponent or wait for a rematch with Muhammad in 2025. Notably, this is not the first time the event on December 7 has faced setbacks, as there was previously an announcement about the cancellation of the fight between strawweight stars Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba. Nevertheless, the event will still feature a title fight, with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja facing former Rizin champion Kai Asakura in his title defense.
