Undefeated flyweight contender names Shavkat Rakhmonov as most deserving fighter to challenge Leon Edwards for UFC title next
Undefeated UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev has called for Shavkat Rakhmonov to be given the next title shot against Leon Edwards.
Rakhmonov extended his stunning undefeated professional record to 18-0 when he faced Stephen Thompson at UFC 296.
The Kazakh fighter dominated 'Wonderboy' with a grapple-heavy gameplan, eventually securing a rear-naked choke in the final seconds of the second round to hand Thomspon the first submission loss of his career. Rakhmonov's victory also maintained his 100 percent finishing rate.
Following Rakhmonov's victory over Thompson, Leon Edwards went on to dominate a majorly disappointing Colby Covington in their main event bout. 'Rocky' channeled his emotions into a clincal display of striking and takedown defense, picking up the victory 49-46 across all three judges' scorecards.
Belal Muhammad weighed in as the backup fighter for the headliner and there are calls he should be next to face Edwards. 'Remember the Name' is ranked No.2 in the welterweight division and is undefeated in his last 10 outings.
With both Shavkat Rakhmonov and Belal Muhammad now having a serious claim as Leon Edwards' next challenger, fans and fighters are split with who they'd like to see the face the British champ next.
Muhammad Mokaev weighed in on the debate on X (formerly Twitter), stating that 'Nomad' must be next. He tweeted:
"Shavkat deserves title shot."
Leon Edwards explains why he isn't considering Belal Muhammad for next title defence
Leon Edwards has also dismissed the idea of making his third title defence against Belal Muhammad.
Edwards added another name to his resume this past weekend when he handidly defeated Colby Covington at UFC 296. 'Rocky' neutralized any threat Covington had to offer and once again surprised fans with his impressive takedown defense and grappling ability.
Following his victory, Edwards sat down with the press and was asked for his opinion on locking horns with Muhammad or Shavkat Rakhmonov next.
The welterweight champ dismissed the idea of facing Muhammad and explained that his former opponent's undefeated run won't guarantee him a title shot, as it didn't for himself:
"There's definitely other options, you know. I don't feel like Belal should be next. I won 10 fights in a row and didn't get a title shot. So what makes him different or more privileged?"
Catch Leon Edward's comments here (4:05):