Shavkat Rakhmonov fires warning shots at Belal Muhammad ahead of potential title clash: "There's nowhere to run"
Shavkat Rakhmonov has not competed since defeating Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson via second-round TKO at UFC 296 last December. The No. 3-ranked welterweight could be next in line for a title opportunity, however, as he remains undefeated with finishes in all 18 of his career mixed martial arts bouts. He recently fired a warning shot at champion Belal Muhammad.
'Nomad' first addressed former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who has been involved in a back-and-forth with 'Remember the Name' for several months. Speaking to Kacper Rosolowski and Denis Shkuratov of Submission Radio via a translator, Rakhmonov stated:
"I don't know what he's thinking about, but I think it's kind of a shame to ask for a title shot after losing three fights straight. Like, in my head, I cannot get my head around it, but it is what it is."
When asked to give a message to Muhammad, the undefeated welterweight contender stated:
"All I can say to Belal is to get ready. You know, there's nowhere to run. This fight has to happen next and the cage will close and we will see who is the better man. That's it."
Check out Shavkat Rakhmonov's comments on Kamaru Usman and Belal Muhammad below:
Rakhmonov has remained on a tear since making his promotional debut at UFC 254 in October 2020. He has finished six straight opponents, three of whom were ranked, to climb to No. 3 in the welterweight rankings. While he does not have a win over a top-five opponent, his talent is undeniable and he is more than deserving of a title opportunity.
Shavkat Rakhmonov claims he is more deserving of a title opportunity than Kamaru Usman
It appears that either Shavkat Rakhmonov or Kamaru Usman will receive the first opportunity to challenge Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title. 'Nomad' recently made the case that he is more deserving of the opportunity. The No. 3-ranked welterweight took to X last week, stating:
"18-0 with 100% finishes or 0-3 in the last three fights. I think there should be no question who fights next for the title 🤫"
Check out Shavkat Rakhmonov's comments on challenging for the welterweight title below:
Usman has not competed since suffering a loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 last October. It should be noted, however, that he took the bout at a higher weight class on 10 days' notice. It is unclear what the UFC plans to do next in the division.