Belal Muhammad claps back at Shavkat Rakhmonov over recent comments, pitches a No. 1 contender fight

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad didn’t take long to respond to Shavkat Rakhmonov’s remarks about an alleged title fight offer for UFC 307.

Muhammad captured the UFC welterweight title by defeating Leon Edwards by unanimous decision at UFC 304 last month. He’s unbeaten in his previous 11 fights and capped his winning streak with an impressive world championship performance.

As Muhammad prepares for his first welterweight title defense, Rakhmonov and others are waiting in the wings for a shot at the champion. Rakhmonov is the most likely option, arguably, as he’s undefeated with recent wins over Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal.

Rakhmonov, in a recent interview with MMA Fighting, claimed that Muhammad declined to fight him in October at UFC 307. He went on to criticize Muhammad for going back on his promise to be an active champion.

Belal Muhammad suggests Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Kamaru Usman for No. 1 contender

In a recent tweet, Muhammad appeared to respond to Rakhmonov’s criticism and ducking allegations.

Inactive? Lol I’m still on trial and Shavkat hasn’t fought since 2023 I think Shavkat and usman should fight to find the real number one contender pic.twitter.com/7fKYMZsqbl

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) August 30, 2024

“Inactive? Lol I’m still on trial and Shavkat hasn’t fought since 2023,” Muhammad tweeted Friday. “I think Shavkat and [Kamaru] Usman should fight to find the real number one contender.”

Muhammad has gone back-and-forth with former titleholder Kamaru Usman in recent weeks. Muhammad’s latest trolling attempt featured an AI-generated song, which many felt was an attempt at luring Usman into a matchup.

Usman hasn’t fought since a middleweight loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 last year. He’s targeting his Octagon return for welterweight against another top contender.

As of this writing, Rakhmonov hasn’t responded to Muhammad’s latest comments. He hasn’t fought since UFC 296 against Thompson; earning a second-round submission victory.

A timeline for Muhammad’s first title defense remains uncertain, although Rakhmonov is a likely top choice for his next opponent. In the meantime, the champion seems content with letting Rakhmonov and Usman figure out who should be next for a shot at the belt.