Belal Muhammad is ready for war as he prepares to defend his welterweight title for the first time at UFC 310 against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov. Rakhmonov, often labeled the “boogeyman” of the division, is a fighter many have avoided, but Beal is doubling down with P. Diddy jokes.
In a recent interview, the newly crowned champ made it clear that he’s hungry for the challenge, saying, “I’m starving for Shavkat meat”. Known for taking on the toughest competitors, Belal is eager to test himself against the dangerous Rakhmonov and prove why he’s the top dog at 170 pounds.
The newly crowned welterweight champion joined Farah Hannoun for an interview on ‘MMA Junkie’ YouTube channel. During their conversation, she asked Belal about his mindset heading into this fight and what he made of Shavkat as a challenger.
The Palestinian-American champion asserted that he asked for the fight and said that his fridge was empty and he was starving for some Shavkat.
“I am always the hunter, I am never the hunted even with this fight. I asked for this fight. I am the hunter, and I am starving. My fridge is empty, I need some Shavkat meat. No Diddy. But that is what I am looking for. I want to fight the best guys, the toughest guys.”
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That said, Belal went on to add that unlike the Sean Brady fight this one is not personal. He said that going into the Brady fight, it was widely believed that he would be ‘ran through’.
To make things worse, Brady also talked a lot of trash which had further fuelled the champion. This time around, there is no trash talk from the other side and Belal recognises the enormity of the occasion and the seriousness of the challenge in front of him.
Belal explains why he will secure a win at UFC 310
The welterweight champion isn’t fazed by Shavkat Rakhmonov’s undefeated record or the “boogeyman” status that follows him. At UFC 310, Belal (24-3) will defend his welterweight title against Rakhmonov (18-0), and he’s ready to put the perceived immortality of his opponent to the test.
While Rakhmonov has never needed the judges to secure a win, Muhammad believes his grit and experience will be the difference-maker.
“He’s tough, but he hasn’t faced someone like me,” the champion told reporters.
“He hasn’t dealt with adversity in the UFC yet, and when things start to go wrong, that’s where I’ll take over.”
Belal feels he can push Rakhmonov to new levels of discomfort, taking him into deep waters where the fight gets tougher. Confident in his skills and game plan, he is ready to hand Rakhmonov his first loss, just like he did to Sean Brady in 2022. “We see the holes, and we’re ready to expose them,” he added.
Who do you think wins? Let us know in the comments.
