Belal Muhammad clarifies "No Diddy" comment about Shavkat Rakhmonov's "meat": "But it was too late"
Belal Muhammad recently felt the need to clarify himself after a comment he made regarding his upcoming opponent, Shavkat Rakhmonov, caught the attention of MMA fans.
Muhammad is set to make his first welterweight title defense against Rakhmonov at UFC 310 on Dec. 7. The pair are set to headline the pay-per-view, which takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ahead of his bout against 'Nomad', 'Remember the Name' spoke to MMA Junkie's Farah Hannoun. He had some choice words for his opponent, comparing his desire to face Rakhmonov with that of American rapper P. Diddy, who is facing several criminal allegations. He said:
"I'm always the hunter. I'm never the hunted. Even with this fight. I asked for this fight. I'm hungry, I'm starving. My fridge is empty. I need some Shavkat meat. No Diddy."
Check out Muhammad's comments below:
MMA Junkie shared the quote on Instagram, and Muhammad was soon spotted in the comments. The welterweight champion stated that he wanted to clarify what he meant by referring to P. Diddy. However, he didn't have time during the interview. He wrote:
"As I said it I wanted to catch the words and pull them back but it was too late"
Check out Muhammad's comment here:
Shavkat Rakhmonov says he is expecting a tough fight against Belal Muhammad
Shavkat Rakhmonov recently expressed his respect for welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and revealed he's expecting the toughest fight of his career so far.
'Nomad' will get his first shot at UFC gold when he faces Muhammad in December, having earned his shot by submitting Stephen Thompson last year. The 29-year-old is currently ranked No.3 in the division, undefeated in his professional career (18-0), and has finished every opponent he has faced.
Ahead of his bout against Muhammad, Rakhmonov spoke to Vestnik MMA and shared his thoughts on the matchup, stating he'll do everything in his power to overcome this challenge. He said:
"My opponent is really good. You can't underestimate Belal Muhammad. He's great at stalling fights, he has a great technique. I don't think it will be an easy fight for me. I will do my best in this fight. I will give everything I have in this fight."
He continued:
"Belal is a hard worker. He always trains hard. He always trains, he always learns something new. Good for him. May the better man win when we fight."
Check out Shavkat Rakhmonov's thoughts here (2:49):