The final UFC pay-per-view of the year officially had its main and co-main events. But rumors mills are now swirling that Belal Muhammad might have pulled out of his maiden 170-pound title defense. He was to face divisional boogeyman Shavkat Rakhmonov in the UFC 310 pay-per-view (PPV) title headliner.
Ex-editor for tapology/bjpenn.com, Al Zullino, along with famed Australian MMA insider Benny P (@Bendaman2001) first reported the matter on X. He has been spot-on about such billings in many other cases, but there’s no telling how far this actually rolls. There’s no telling if, despite active champion aspirations, Belal Muhammad actually pulled out of UFC 310. No one has confirmed it to sources like Sportsnet/USA TODAY Sports/SBNation Network and other outlets.
UFC 310 takes shape on December 14 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+). The pay-per-view title doubleheader had Muhammad facing ‘Nomad’ at the top bill. ‘Remember the Name’ won gold from Leon Edwards at the UFC 304 pay-per-view (PPV) main event. Former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura (21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is to challenge flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja in the co-headliner. The co-mains remain seemingly unscathed with snaps of Asakura testing out the new UFC gloves doing the rounds.
Apparently Belal might be out
— Benny P 🇦🇺 (@Bendaman2001) October 31, 2024
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
Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), 30, has been tearing through the competition and was the perfect challenge for the streaking Muhammad. However, he hasn’t fought since December 2023, when he scored a submission win over Stephen Thompson at UFC 296. Close sources hinted to MMAmania.com (SBNation Network) that Rakhmonov is expected to remain on the sidelines until Muhammad returns.
Calling all ‘Poatan’: Matchmakers scramble for new main event for UFC 310
With reinforcing sentiment that Belal Muhammad has withdrawn from his upcoming UFC 310 pay-per-view (PPV) headliner against Shavkat Rakhmonov, matchmakers are on the run for new bookings. There are rumors the champ incurred an injury. It opens up spots for a marquee matchup to fill the five-round void. There are some ideas about who should fill in…Here’s paging Alex Pereira.
Reigning light heavyweight champion Pereira has been approached to fight Magomed Ankalaev at short notice, a source has told MMAmania.com. The promotion has yet to make an announcement. What is more, the ultra-busy Pereira had originally planned to remain out of action until the beginning of 2025 after a difficult fight camp in the run-up to his most recent title defense, which happened to be a fourth-round knockout of Khalil Rountree Jr. in Salt Lake City.
Muhammad was planning to get on that ‘Poatan’ schedule for 2025 and save his division. But it seems like the gods above had some other plans. Pereira could be donning his all-ready Thanos attire to “do it himself“. If channeling some shamanic booster, the Brazilian does this, it’d mark four title defenses for “Poatan” within the last eight months. He has fought in UFC 300, 303, and 307 PPVs already this year.
Hearing rumours UFC 310 might need a new main event I know a guy pic.twitter.com/1Q9FjkHfbn
— Benny P 🇦🇺 (@Bendaman2001) October 31, 2024
Sources from any of the parties are yet to confirm anything, at all. Chomping at the bits, Ankalaev has been longing for such a matchup for ages. A minimal-camp Pereira with wrestle holes is prime for taking. However, unless he prayed hard at a shooting star and it came to be, nothing is official yet. There might be more tidbits and official statements to prune out of this.
