Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has balloon feet.
The 170-pound belt holder announced on social media Thursday that he will be sidelined for the next six weeks due to a bone infection in his foot, which causes his toes to become dangerously swollen. As a result, Muhammad (24-3, No. 1 in North Carolina) will not compete at the top of UFC 310 on Dec. 7. News of his withdrawal was first reported by Al Zurino of X, the service formerly known as Twitter. Other media reports say the organization is looking for a replacement opponent for challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0), but he may not remain in the lineup that day at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That’s what it means.
Upon learning of the news, Rachmonov prayed for Muhammad’s soul and expressed interest in rescheduling the fight for a later date. He still has his sights set on the prize.
“I wish Belal a speedy recovery,” Rakhmonov wrote. “See you when I’m back to 100%. As of now, I’m ready to face a contender for the interim title at UFC 310.”
It’s unclear whether the promotion is considering an interim title shot, considering Muhammad’s recovery schedule is not yet official. If he does compete, Rakhmonov will want to extend his undefeated streak to 19 while maintaining a perfect 100% completion rate. ‘Nomad’ racked up six wins against increasingly strong opponents under the UFC banner and worked his way towards a championship shot. In his last three wins, Rakhmonov has tapped out Neil Magny, Jeff Neal and Stephen Thompson in a span of about 18 months.
Muhammad intends to return as soon as possible. He will not be allowed to train for at least six weeks, with the remainder of his schedule determined by the severity of the infection. If he returns, he will make his first title defense at welterweight. throne. “Remember the Name” claimed it was by decision defeating Leon Edwards in a grudge match. Before facing Edwards, Muhammad methodically climbed the 170-pound ladder, defeating names like Thompson, Vicente Luque, and Gilbert Burns.
UFC 310 will take place on December 7th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but the headliner is currently in flux. The scheduled co-main event of Alexandre Pantoja vs. Manel Cape for the flyweight strap could be elevated to the main attraction, but the UFC has not announced any changes so far. Other notable matchups include a heavyweight rematch between Cyril Gane and Alexander Volkov and a featherweight title eliminator between Mokhsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling.
