Belal Muhammad Forced to Pull Out of UFC 310 Due to Bone Infection
Life can be cruel. But in Belal Muhammad’s case, this seems especially unjust for someone who spent years chasing a spot at the top of the food chain. Anyone looking at MMAfighting latest news will see that it took Muhammad a 10-fight unbeaten streak that lasted five years before he earned an opportunity to fight for the UFC’s welterweight title.
While Muhammad was set to make his first championship defense in December, that opportunity is now on the back burner. Muhammad put a message out on social media about a bone infection in one of his toes. That means the UFC will have to rebook the planned fight with dangerous contender Shavkat Rakmonov.
It is rumored that Rakmonov may be paired up with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman instead. No matter what happens with the championship belt, Muhammad will be back in the picture when he returns from injury. There isn’t anything easy about carrying the burden of being a champion.
How did Muhammad Win the Belt?
One of the major surprises of UFC 304 was that Muhammad won the belt in a dominant fashion. It was tough that Muhammad controlled the fight with his grappling, but no one expected him to be able to hang in with the striking as well. Muhammad’s mixture of striking and wrestling allowed him to earn a unanimous decision win over Leon Edwards, according to MMA breaking news.
This was a surprising turnaround because Edwards and Muhammad had fought before in March 2021. During that fight, Edwards controlled the first round with his striking. However, Edwards accidentally poked Muhammad in the eye during the second round.
The poke was bad enough that Muhammad couldn’t continue. Edwards would go on to become champion first when he shocked the world by knocking out Usman with a last-minute headkick at UFC 278.
When Muhammad beat Edwards for the title, he also had to fight at around 5 a.m. in the morning. The time was set up like this to make the event a more friendly time slot for American viewers. The fight was in Edwards’ home country, but the UFC wanted to try to pull in a higher pay-per-view audience stateside.
Why Did He Have to Wait So Long for a Title Shot?
From a business perspective, it makes sense why Muhammad had to wait his turn. People think he is boring to watch. Muhammad is an excellent wrestler, and he spends most of his fights controlling his opponents on the mat. Muhammad only has five knockout victories in his career, two of which came in the UFC.
It’s unfortunate that combat sports are this way, but ultimately promotions attempt to push guys who sell tickets for title opportunities. Muhammad’s personality and fighting style haven’t gone over well with the general UFC audience.
It is a shame. While the best MMA news sites show that Muhammad doesn’t finish fights, he is a consistent fighter who constantly takes on the best fighters in his division. But because of Muhammad’s personality and lack of finishing ability, he was passed over for fighters like Colby Covington.
Covington’s fighting style isn’t much more exciting than Muhammad’s. Covington is also a grappler who uses a wrestling-heavy approach. But Covington was willing to say and do whatever to promote a fight.
Muhammad prefers to be himself. It’s a good way to live. But it’s not the most effective form of self-promotion.
Rakhmonov is a Worthy Challenger
Being the first fighter to beat Rakhmonov, if anyone is capable, will be a major feather in one fighter’s cap. Many former champions and top fighters have campaigned to step in for Muhammad to get the opportunity. Buyers should likely beware though.
Rakhmonov is 18-0 in his career and has finished every opponent. While former title challenger Stephen Thompson isn’t the fighter he used to be, Rakhmonov rag-dolled him around the cage before wrapping up a first-round submission.
Rakhmonov still doesn’t have too many fights against top fighters in the UFC, but he has the skills to cause a lot of damage. If the fight with Muhammad had gone on, it would’ve been interesting to see how Muhammad approached fighting such a balanced opponent.
With Rakhmonov now getting a new opponent, there is a chance the fight with Muhammad could be delayed if he loses. However, Rakhmonov’s skill will be difficult for any welterweight on the UFC roster to handle.
There is Plenty at Stake at WelterweightIt is unclear as of now if the UFC will add an interim title until Muhammad returns. The welterweight division has formed a large list of potential contenders outside of Rakhmonov. Usman is still second in the rankings despite losing three straight fights.
Usman’s competition has been rough. He lost a close decision to Khamzhat Chimaev and a pair of fights to Edwards. Jack Della Maddalena is another rising star who is ranked fourth in the division. Della Maddalena has yet to fight for the title yet.
Della Maddalena is on a 17-fight winning streak and recently knocked out former title challenger Gilbert Burns. With Della Maddalena, it’s hard to tell if his most recent results will result in championship success. Before beating Burns, Della Maddalena won two ugly split decisions against Kevin Holland and Bassil Hafez.
Can Muhammad Regain His Spark Quickly?
Muhammad cut his teeth on being one of the more active fighters in the UFC. In 2021, Muhammad had three fights. He also fought twice in 2022.
Now, Muhammad is going to have his first extended layoff in some time. Muhammad will have to face the challenge of recovering from his injury and taking on a championship-level opponent. Muhammad has already proved that he has the skills to earn the belt.
Muhammad will now have to prove he is capable of hanging onto a championship.
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By Dean McHugh.
