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