Jon Anik dismisses "fake news" about Belal Muhammad allegedly looking to "sidestep" Shavkat Rakhmonov challenge with legacy fight
Jon Anik disagrees with the consensus that welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is trying to avoid fighting No.3-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov in his pursuit of a bout against Kamaru Usman. Muhammad captured the 170-pound title by defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in August. He has shown interest in fighting Usman, who is hailed as one of the greatest welterweights in history.
UFC commentator Anik, who is a close observer of the sport, recently shared his thoughts on the rumors circulating in an X post. He wrote:
"For his legacy, not at all surprising Belal Muhammad would want the chance to defend his title against one of the all-time welterweight greats in Kamaru Usman but the notion he is somehow trying to sidestep Shavkat Rakhmonov is straight fake news."
Shavkat Rakhmonov is one of the most highly touted contenders in the welterweight division and many consider him a future UFC champion. Anik expanded on his argument in a follow-up post and claimed that Muhammad is not blocking Rakhmonov's path to the welterweight title shot:
"Shavkat Rakhmonov is 18-0 w/ 18 finishes. 6-0 in the UFC. Whether he has the No. 3 or No. 1 ranking matters not. Most of us see him as the largely unquestioned, rightful, next title challenger. And I think the UFC concurs! But the champion ain't the f***ing problem. Trust."
Shavkat Rakhmonov says Belal Muhammad turned down October showdown due to timeline issues
Shavkat Rakhmonov is a frontrunner for the UFC title shot, courtesy of his dominant run in the UFC so far. While the UFC has not announced the opponent for Muhammad's first title defense, Rakhmonov's recent comments suggested that the promotion is already at work in that regard.
While speaking to MMA Fighting, the Kazakhstan native said that the UFC offered him to fight Muhammad in October. However, 'Remember the Name' declined the fight as the timeline did not suit him:
“Actually, I’ve already been offered a fight to fight Belal and I accepted the fight against Belal. But unfortunately, he declined to fight me due to the timing issues. He wasn’t ready to defend his belt at that time. So we’ll see what’s going to happen and when he’s going to be ready so I will be able to fight him." [H/T MMA Fighting]
UFC 307 and UFC 308 events are scheduled to take place in October. The 36-year-old is coming off a grueling five-round contest and in his defense, the quick turnaround might not have given him enough time to prepare for another five-round fight.