Off the back of his exit from an undisputed welterweight title fight next month, Belal Muhammad may have paved a way for the unbeaten, Shavkat Rakhmonov to compete for an interim crown on the card — with the surging finisher suggesting the promotion introduce such a title into the division.
Slated to headline UFC 310 at the end of the year, Illinois native, Muhammad confirmed his withdrawal from a scheduled title defense against the undefeated, Rakhmonov, citing a bone infection in his foot, which will sideline him for at least six weeks.
Winning the crown at the end of July on enemy territory at UFC 304, Muhammad landed a one-sided unanimous decision win over two-time foe, Leon Edwards in the pair’s title rematch in Manchester.