Shavkat Rakhmonov explains why he wants an interim UFC title fight: "Belal doesn’t need to be greedy"
Shavkat Rakhmonov recently explained his desire for an interim title fight while Belal Muhammad recovers from his foot condition. Rakhmonov has claimed that it may take longer for the reigning champion to recover fully, necessitating the need for an interim champion.
Muhammad was set to face Rakhmonov in his first welterweight title defense at UFC 310 on Dec. 7. However, 'Remember the Name' announced that he had to pull out of the bout due to a bone infection in his left foot. Since then, the undefeated 'Nomad' has been asking for an interim title fight against any fighter in the 170-pound division.
Rakhmonov's remarks didn't sit well with Muhammad, who questioned the challenger's motives for demanding an interim title fight. The 36-year-old noted that he is only out of competition for six weeks and isn't concerned about the temporary belt because he is the division's reigning champion.
Despite Muhammad's claims about his recovery period, Rakhmonov believes otherwise. During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, the Kazakh expressed his belief that the current champion will need more than six weeks to heal.
Rakhmonov's words were translated by his manager, Sayat Abdrakhmanov, who stated:
''Yeah, I don’t believe its going to be six weeks, to be honest. I believe like Jack Della [Maddalena] had the same problem with infection and he’s still not back. So it can take a while. And Belal doesn’t need to be greedy. If I become an interim champ, he’s still going to have a belt too. And it’s going to be champ vs. champ, even bigger fight.''
Check out Shavkat Rakhmonov's comments below (13:21):
Shavkat Rakhmonov wants to face Kamaru Usman next
Following Belal Muhammad's withdrawal from his title fight with Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, Kamaru Usman took to X and responded with three emojis: two pairs of eyes and a cunning smile emoji, suggesting a possible matchup with Rakhmonov for the interim title.
During the aforementioned The Ariel Helwani Show interview, Rakhmonov expressed his desire to face Usman, saying:
''I believe there is a worthy opponent available. I’m ready to save the card, too if it’s for the interim title. I believe Usman is the worthy opponent who’s also probably ready to jump in and face him.''
Check out Shavkat Rakhmonov's comments below: