Tag: belal muhammad

Belal Muhammad Is Not Afraid of Undefeated Finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov: ‘It Really Doesn’t Scare Us’

Belal Muhammad Is Not Afraid of Undefeated Finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov: 'It Really Doesn't Scare Us'Belal Muhammad is not afraid of Shavkat Rakhmonov. At least, that’s what his coach says. After bringing the UFC…

Belal Muhammad Is Not Afraid of Undefeated Finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov: 'It Really Doesn't Scare Us'

Belal Muhammad is not afraid of Shavkat Rakhmonov. At least, that’s what his coach says.

After bringing the UFC welterweight title home to Chicago following a dominant decision victory over Leon Edwards in Manchester, ‘Remember The Name’ is set to put his gold up for grabs against one of the most dangerous fighters in the division at UFC 310 on Saturday, December 7.

Belal Muhammad

Rakhmonov goes into his first title opportunity with an impressive 18-0 record. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that ‘Nomad’ has finished every man that’s been put in front of him, including six-straight wins under the UFC banner.

Belal Muhammad’s coach is excited to crack rakhmonov’s code

Rakhmonov’s reputation undoubtedly precedes him, but Muhammad’s coach, Mike Valle, says that neither he nor the champ is afraid of stepping inside the Octagon with the fast-rising fan favorite.

“It’s a great challenge,” Valle told MMA Junkie. “It’s a great code to crack. I can’t wait for it. There’s all this hype behind him and he’s a great guy. He’s a great fighter, too. Belal is unreal, too. He’s the best in the world at fighting.

“And he’s the best in the world at going back, going sideways, putting pressure, not going to the ground. So it doesn’t matter where the fight may take place. He’s willing to go forward, go back, go to the side, fight on top, fight behind. It really doesn’t scare us. Whatever it is, let’s go” (h/t BJPenn.com).

In his last three outings, Rakhmonov has earned wins against welterweight staples Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson.

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Muhammad rides into ‘Sin City’ sitting on a 10-fight win streak that dates back to a win against Curtis Millender in April 2019.

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‘Super Disrespectful To Belal’ – Fans React To Shavkat Rakhmonov Being Heavy Favorite To Win Gold At UFC 310

UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad will seemingly have to spring an upset if he’s to stall Shavkat Rakhmonov’s title ambitions. The schedule for the last quarter of 2024 is beginning to be finalized, and UFC CEO Dana White recently took to social media to reveal two championship headliners for the final pay-per-view of the year, […]

Continue Reading ‘Super Disrespectful To Belal’ – Fans React To Shavkat Rakhmonov Being Heavy Favorite To Win Gold At UFC 310 at MMA News.

UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad will seemingly have to spring an upset if he’s to stall Shavkat Rakhmonov’s title ambitions.

The schedule for the last quarter of 2024 is beginning to be finalized, and UFC CEO Dana White recently took to social media to reveal two championship headliners for the final pay-per-view of the year, UFC 310 on Dec. 7.

Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena will play host as both the welterweight and flyweight belts get put on the line. And in regard to the former, Muhammad will be making his very first defense five months on from a dominant display to win the crown in Manchester.

If he’s to begin his ascent to a place in the divisional GOAT discussion, Muhammad must first retain the belt at the expense of an undefeated phenom in Rakhmonov.

“Remember the Name” has long been counted out, and his emphatic performance to unseat Leon Edwards from the throne has seemingly done little to alter his status as a perennial underdog.

Fans React To UFC 310 Odds As Muhammad Gets Underdog Status vs. Rakhmonov

Prior to confirmation of their fight later this year, Rakhmonov opened as a -265 favorite on BetOnline.ag to make +225 underdog Muhammad’s reign a quick one.

Fight fans reacted to those odds — which have since shifted to -205 on the challenger’s side and +175 for the champ — after the bout was announced as the UFC 310 headliner this past weekend.

Many expressed surprise at Muhammad’s line, with some branding it “disrespectful” and others questioning when the market will “learn.”

Continue Reading ‘Super Disrespectful To Belal’ – Fans React To Shavkat Rakhmonov Being Heavy Favorite To Win Gold At UFC 310 at MMA News.

UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Headlines UFC Vegas 100

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards. With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week. Between Monday, October 7, and […]

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Headlines UFC Vegas 100 at MMA News.

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.

With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

Between Monday, October 7, and Sunday, October 13, a couple of notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

A number of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights being adjusted. For those, see below:

Continue Reading UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates Headlines UFC Vegas 100 at MMA News.

Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines

The UFC will close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with two major championship fights in Las Vegas on December 7. With the final quarter of this year well underway, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is beginning to fill the remaining slots on its fight schedule. And in two of the most prominent ones now […]

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines at MMA News.

The UFC will close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with two major championship fights in Las Vegas on December 7.

With the final quarter of this year well underway, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is beginning to fill the remaining slots on its fight schedule. And in two of the most prominent ones now sit reigning titleholders.

UFC CEO Dana White took to social media on Saturday to announce the headline bouts for UFC 310, the promotion’s final PPV of the year.

Closing out 2024 in style, a highly anticipated welterweight title fight between newly crowned champion Belal Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC) and undefeated challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0) will top the lineup inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja (28-5) returns for his second defense of the year and third overall. Having turned away the threats posed by Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg, “The Cannibal” will next share the cage with a newcomer in former Rizin champ Kai Asakura (21-4).

Muhammad captured the 170-pound gold in enemy territory this past July, beating Leon Edwards in dominant fashion to extend his unbeaten run to 11 straight fights. Rakhmonov, meanwhile, has won all six of his Octagon outings to date, submitting both Geoff Neal and Stephen Thompson in his most recent fights.

Pantoja is deeper into his reign on the throne at 125 pounds, having held the crown since a memorable win over Brandon Moreno in the summer of 2023. After a scare against Australia’s Erceg in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year, the Brazilian will look to increase his grip on the title against a highly regarded debutant in Japan’s Asakura.

White also confirmed that Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov and Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz — matchups postponed from cards in October and August, respectively — have been rescheduled for the same event.

With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 310 on Dec. 7 are as follows:

  • Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (welterweight championship main event)
  • Alexandre Pantoja (C) vs. Kai Asakura (flyweight championship co-main event)
  • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov (heavyweight)
  • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (featherweight)
  • Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz (welterweight)
  • Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba (women’s strawweight)
  • Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes (light heavyweight)
  • Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin (welterweight)
  • Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper (lightweight)
  • Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van (flyweight)

Continue Reading Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines at MMA News.

Leon Edwards’ Brother On Loss To Belal Muhammad: ‘Always Had Unfair Situations Given To Him!’

Fabian Edwards believes his brother, former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, was made to defend his title in “unfair” conditions this past summer. After withstanding challenges from both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards returned for his first assignment of 2024 three months ago. “Rocky” was tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of […]

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Brother On Loss To Belal Muhammad: ‘Always Had Unfair Situations Given To Him!’ at MMA News.

Fabian Edwards believes his brother, former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, was made to defend his title in “unfair” conditions this past summer.

After withstanding challenges from both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards returned for his first assignment of 2024 three months ago.

“Rocky” was tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Belal Muhammad on home soil, with their rematch headlining UFC 304 in Manchester, England this past July.

Edwards ultimately failed in that goal, with “Remember the Name” putting on a dominant display to extend his unbeaten run to 11 and ensure he exited the Co-op Live with the welterweight gold in his possession.

Fabian Edwards Laments Time For Brother’s UFC 304 Title Defense

During a recent interview with Bloody Elbow ahead of his own upcoming title fight, Fabian reflected on the end of his brother’s reign at the hands of Muhammad in Manchester.

The younger of the fighting siblings pointed to the 5 AM start time as a major factor in Leon’s defeat at UFC 304. The decision to keep timings on the US pay-per-view schedule is just the latest instance of “Rocky” being made to compete in “unfair situations,” according to Fabian.

“You know what it is? It was the time,” Fabian said. “I know everyone will say, ‘Oh, the time,’ or whatever, but most people couldn’t even stay awake until that time. So having to fight (for) a world title fight at that time? Come on. I’ve said it to everyone, how he performed in that fight was exactly how the last couple of weeks in training was. We were just like, putting it off because you do find things.

“That’s just the way it goes. Leon’s never had an easy path,” he continued. “Even once he became champion, he’s always had unfair situations given to him, but it is what it is. He will be back.”

It remains to be seen what lies next in the career of Leon Edwards, but he vowed to bounce back and “rise again” in his first post-fight remarks on social media.

For now, the UFC star will have his focus and energy on the exploits of his brother, as Fabian gets set for a second opportunity at dethroning Johnny Eblen in Saudi Arabia next weekend.

Continue Reading Leon Edwards’ Brother On Loss To Belal Muhammad: ‘Always Had Unfair Situations Given To Him!’ at MMA News.

Conor McGregor Calls For Immediate UFC Title Fight Against ‘Woeful’ Belal Muhammad

Conor McGregor Calls For Immediate UFC Title Fight Against 'Woeful' Belal MuhammadWith Michael Chandler moving on, Conor McGregor thinks he should get an immediate title fight when he makes his…

Conor McGregor Calls For Immediate UFC Title Fight Against 'Woeful' Belal Muhammad

With Michael Chandler moving on, Conor McGregor thinks he should get an immediate title fight when he makes his UFC return.

Mystic Mac’ has been tied to a fight with the former Bellator champion for well over a year. Since the bout never came to fruition, Chandler will instead run back his May 2021 clash with Charles Oliveira on Saturday, November 16 when the promotion heads back to Madison Square Garden for UFC 309.

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Despite losing out on the Chandler fight, McGregor has remained insistent that he’ll make his quote-unquote “greatest comeback in combat sports history” in 2025.

During a recent Kick live stream for online gambling site Duelbits, the former two-division champion declared that with Chandler moving on, his return fight should be against none other than the UFC’s new welterweight king, Belal Muhammad.

“He’s woeful,” McGregor said during an intense rant. “I want to fight him. Okay, Chandler’s matched, let’s schedule Belal-McGregor UFC welterweight world title on the line. I’ve multiple knockouts at 170lb, I’m a force to be reckoned with at 170lb.

“I do damage at welterweight, check the stats. I’ve done them at 100 percent accuracy, this man doesn’t even have a knockdown in UFC history. Not one knockdown, it’s embarrassing, to be honest. I was kind of slow-rolling the person because I just don’t a b*****s.

“They’re all bums in the thing. You don’t be interested, come to me, but for the strap? Yes, next, yes please. Stall it Dana and the lads” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Conor McGregor

Belal Muhammad has plenty of contenders ahead of conor mcGregor

With the contenders already lining up for their crack at Muhammad, it’s highly unlikely that McGregor will get his wish. ‘Remember The Name’ has already declared unbeaten finisher Shavkat Rakhmonov as the next man up, but there’s always the possibility that former 170-pound titleholder Kamaru Usman could get the nod despite sitting on a three-fight losing skid.

Also on the cusp of a title opportunity is Aussie standout Jack Della Maddalena. Winner of 17-straight, the 28-year-old has climbed into the No. 4 slot in the welterweight rankings with wins over the likes of Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns. ‘JDM’ likely needs one more win to put him in pole position.

Jack Della Maddalena 4.11.22

In short, there are a plethora of contenders who are much more deserving of a title fight than Conor McGregor. With that said, the UFC is in the business of making money and the Irish megastar has proven to be very good for business.