Belal Muhammad confirms he is out of UFC 310 title fight vs Shavkat Rakhmonov

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has confirmed he is out of his UFC 310 main event against Shavkat Rakhmonov.

As part of the final UFC pay-per-view event of the year, Belal Muhammad was set to defend his UFC world title for the first time. It’s take place against Shavkat Rakhmonov, the unbeaten juggernaut who has been able to work his way through the division with relative ease.

RELATED: Belal Muhammad reveals why he believes he can overcome Shavkat Rakhmonov

Muhammad, as we know, captured the belt earlier this year by dominating Leon Edwards. This fight would serve as arguably the biggest test of his career to date as he attempted to defend the strap against one of the scariest contenders in recent memory.

However, as initially noted by Al Zullino, Muhammad will not be competing on that card, as he confirmed in the below social media post.

Belal Muhammad is out of his title bout against Shavkat Rakhmonov, which was supposed to happen on December 7th at #UFC310, multiple sources confirmed to me after rumors started spreading in recent days.

The UFC is actively looking for a replacement fight, I'm told.

— Al Zullino (@phre) October 31, 2024

I guess it's official now.

Wishing him a full and speedy recovery. https://t.co/uRnVxOGEyg

— Al Zullino (@phre) October 31, 2024

Muhammad confirms UFC 310 rumors

“Caught a bone infection in my foot .. had to put a picc line in my arm for iv antibiotics the next 6 weeks with no physical activity … Allahs plan is the best plan I’m sorry to everyone that were coming to see me Ill be back soon inshAllah”

The report from Zullino notes that the UFC is actively looking for a replacement fight. As of this writing, it’s not clear as to whether or not Rakhmonov will remain on the card. If he does, there’s a chance we could see an interim belt on the line given the magnitude of the event – but that’s purely speculation at this stage. We’ll keep you updated with more information as we know it.

What do you believe the UFC should do next in terms of making another big fight for UFC 310? When do you expect to see Belal Muhammad return to the cage? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!