Daniel Cormier shuts down calls for an interim title fight at UFC 310 following Belal Muhammad’s injury
Belal Muhammad was forced out of his welterweight title fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 after a serious bone infection was discovered in his toe. The 170-pound champion has been forced to the sidelines for six weeks and will likely return in the first quarter of 2025.
UFC matchmakers are currently searching for a replacement opponent for Muhammad, and there have been suggestions that either Kamaru Usman or Jack Della Maddalena may step up to face Rakhmonov.
Fans have predicted an interim title fight to be on the cards, an idea that has been shut down by former two-division champion Daniel Cormier.
Cormier currently works as a commentator for the promotion and recently appeared alongside Paul Felder at a fan Q&A ahead of UFC Edmonton on Nov. 2. 'DC' discussed the UFC 310 main event situation and said this:
"We've got to stop with the interim title, there's no need to make an interim title. Belal just won the belt in June, July?"
He continued:
"Back when I was fighting, if you got hurt you had like a year before they made an interim champion. Now it's like people are calling for interim titles, just can almost will yourself into an interim title championship at this point."
Check out Cormier discussing Belal Muhammad's replacement below (11:20):
Belal Muhammad discusses replacement fights for UFC 310
Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov will no longer be facing off at UFC 310 on Dec. 7 after the champion suffered a severe infection in his toe.
Despite fans' calls for an interim title fight at 170 pounds to replace the original main event, neither Daniel Cormier nor Muhammad believes that an interim title bout makes sense.
'Remember The Name' recently discussed several options he believes could replace him, including a potential light heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev.
The welterweight champion appeared alongside Jon Anik's brother, Jason, on a recent episode of Remember The Show, co-hosted by Muhammad. He said this:
"[Shavkat] and [Kamaru] Usman are training partners, and you've been the gym with each other now. It's like, were you guys looking at each other? Watching each other? It's just weird."
He continued:
"I wonder who they'd do if it's not Pereira vs. Ankalaev, I don't see it being Du Plessis. [Zhang] Weili is always up there but I don't see them trying to throw that in there. We'll see what Hunter [Campbell] and Dana [White] do, they're the best."
Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below (19:55):