Belal Muhammad opens up about foot injury that caused UFC 310 withdrawal: "It lets you know what's real in life"
Belal Muhammad has shed light on the foot injury that forced him to withdraw from his UFC 310 fight. Additionally, 'Remember the Name' expounded on the pain he experienced and the planned recovery.
Muhammad was scheduled to defend his UFC welterweight title against the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov. Their fight was to headline UFC 310 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., on Dec. 7, 2024. However, Muhammad withdrew from the event earlier this week, citing a bone infection in his left foot.
Muhammad has long co-hosted the Remember The Show podcast alongside Jason Anik, the twin brother of UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik. On episode 139 of the RTS podcast, Jason welcomed Muhammad and asked about his health. The welterweight kingpin responded by stating that the sudden health issue was humbling:
"My brother, man, I miss you. Dude, looking at the last episode, I was like, 'Bro, it's crazy how fast life moves, right? How stuff can switch up in the blink of an eye?' Bro, I got a freaking, a line coming through your arm that you have to walk around with for the next six weeks. But it also kind of humbles you, right? It lets you know what's real in life because you're on top of the world, you're a champion, you got a camp."
Muhammad indicated he's usually laser-focused while in camp and was about six weeks out from the fight. He'd undergone three or four weeks of training prior to the injury and was bringing in new training partners and revving up the intensity.
The 36-year-old explained that his foot swelled up a day after sparring. He recounted being asked about the same, adding that he'd attempted to push through it akin to how fighters generally do:
"But then, yeah, my foot blew up the day after sparring. And I sparred the day before. My foot was like, sore. And it wasn't like, a good day."
Ultimately, Muhammad sought medical care, including from a foot specialist. He underwent tests under doctors' guidance, who eventually diagnosed his infection.
Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below:
Watch the complete episode below (Muhammad's comments at 1:40):
Belal Muhammad revisits foot swelling and pain after initial treatment
Belal Muhammad recalled that despite taking the prescribed antibiotics and taking two days off from training, his foot swelled and hurt more. He messaged the doctors, who advised him to head to the ER.
The visibly infected toe was cut open, hoping for a puss secretion to come out, which would've supposedly signaled it was merely a superficial problem with a quick recovery period. However, that didn't happen. An MRI was conducted, and the bone area lit up, which Muhammad emphasized was indicative of a bone infection:
"My foot blew up even more, like, doubled in size. And I was just like, throbbing pain." [3:25-minute mark of the above interview]
Furthermore, Muhammad claimed that he underwent a procedure to repair the toe. Muhammad also spoke about having to undergo antibiotic treatment and keep the IV on his arm, with negligible physical activity, for around six weeks before he can gradually work his way back while the welterweight division looks to move forward.