Belal Muhammad (24-3-0, 1 NC) is set to make his first defence of Welterweight gold as he prepares to face Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0-0) at UFC 310 on December 7 in Las Vegas. UFC president Dana White confirmed the card headliner on X in a stacked card featuring another title bout amongst a selection of intriguing contests. See below:
In what was a suffocating display to dethrone former champion Leon Edwards at UFC 304, ‘Remember the Name’ faces another stern test in Rakhmonov, whose well-rounded game could prove a real threat in Muhammad’s first defence.
Rakhmonov’s Rise In the UFC
On October 24, 2020, ‘Nomad’ became the first fighter to sign with the UFC out of Kazakhstan, debuting against the experienced Alex Oliveira. The Kazakhstan native impressed immediately, dispatching the Brazilian with a first-round submission.
After submitting Michel Prazeres in his second bout, 29-year-old Rakhmonov defeated Carlston Harris and Neil Magny – two victories that earned consecutive ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses.
Undoubtedly, Rakhmonov’s biggest test came as a back-and-forth slugfest against Geoff Neal. The American challenged Rakhmonov, even rocking his opponent in the third. However, ‘Nomad’ recovered to finish his opponent with a brutal standing rear-naked choke in a memorable contest that won a ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus.
By this stage, top contender Rakhmnov was starting to be considered a dark horse in the UFC’s 170-pound division by experts and fans alike. At UFC 296, one of the organisation’s most skilled and technical strikers in, veteran Stephen Thompson, was tasked with toppling the rise of the Khazakh star.
The story remained the same for Rakhmonov’s opponents as he stifled Wonderboy’s striking, showcasing his arsenal’s versatility. The American succumbed to yet another submission finish from the undefeated fighter in the second round, which eventually secured him a shot at UFC gold.
A Dominant Fighting Style
With an undefeated MMA record of 18-0 and a 100% finish rate, Rakhmanov’s balanced fighting style has clearly helped him surge into Welterweight title contention.
Sambo—a combat style mastered by Russian fighters Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makachev—has proven its effectiveness and compatibility in MMA, evident in the champions it has produced.
With Soviet origins, the modern martial art of sambo strongly emphasizes grappling and incorporates elements of wrestling and judo.
The welterweight title contender has been able to overwhelm his opponents through aggressive, effective grappling blended with an array of striking. Rakhmonov’s front-foot style pressures his opponents into grappling exchanges where the Kazakh has shown real potency over his UFC tenure.
Of his six fights in the UFC, the undefeated welterweight has earned five victories by submission with one KO/TKO coming against Harris – a spectacular spinning head kick followed up by vicious ground and pound.
Across 18 professional MMA fights, ‘Nomad’s’ methods of victory have been fairly balanced, securing eight wins by KO/TKO and 10 by submission. His versatile skillset is certainly one that will put Muhammad to the test on a night when both fighters will need to perform at their peak.
Looking Forward To UFC 310
Despite the apparent skill at the disposal of his opponent, it must not be overlooked that Muhammad is the champion for a reason and has proven to be no pushover in the grappling department in his rise to the top.
While some fans may have felt Edwards was not up to standard on the night, the 36-year-old put on a wrestling clinic to secure the unanimous decision despite the criticism his fighting style has received from fans and fighters alike.
A recent online spat with Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria saw ‘El Matador’ criticise Muhammad’s wrestle-heavy approach, which has resulted in a lack of finishes in his career.
Despite these comments, Muhammad boasts notable names on their resume, including Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady and Vicente Luque. Across 19 fights in the UFC, ‘Remember the Name’ has 15 wins, of which 12 have come by decision.
Another interesting point to establish in weighing up this welterweight title matchup is that ‘Remember the Name’ switched up training camps in favour of training with ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov in preparation for his fight with Edwards. It can also be noted that the two share the same manager, Ali Abdelaziz, which enabled the connection and arguably proved to have elevated Muhammad’s game in reaching the summit of the 170-pound division.
Alternatively, the Kazakhstan fighter has yet to go the distance in any of his UFC contests so far due to his streak of finishing fights. Rakhmonov’s ability to hold his own in grappling while posing a threat on the feet could be the deciding factor in cutting Muhammad’s reign short and extending his impressive unbeaten streak by securing welterweight gold at UFC 310.
