Islam Makhachev and Shavkat Rakhmonov’s Future Explained After Belal Muhammad’s Win Against Leon Edwards at UFC 304

With his history-making welterweight title win against Leon Edwards at UFC 304, Belal Muhammad has now set the MMA sphere abuzz with the potential matchups that await him! Going into the fight against ‘Rocky’, many had written off Muhammad’s chances for a victory due to Edwards’ previous dismantling of wrestling-heavy fighters like Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. But, ‘Remember the Name’ demonstrated why underestimating him is a huge mistake.

Over 5 rounds Muhammad showcased his superiority and took Edwards down at will. Ending the night with his hands raised as the first Palestinian champion in the UFC, Muhammad is now poised to cement his reign and legacy in the promotion. So how will this win impact the future plans for Islam Makhachev, the UFC lightweight champion, and Shakvat Rakhmonov, an undefeated welterweight contender? Let’s find out!

Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title aspirations bleak after UFC 304

Islam Makhachev has been gunning for the welterweight title to become a ‘champ-champ’ in the UFC ever since he beat Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. With his title defense tally at lightweight now up to 3, Makhachev had stated after his win over ‘The Diamond’, “It’s my dream. I want to fight for the second belt. I want to feel that energy again.”

So, why is Arman Tsarukyan celebrating Belal Muhammad winning the welterweight title on his Instagram account? Well, according to Muhammad, when asked about the possibility of facing Makhachev, the 36-year-old responded by stating, “I would never fight him (Islam), 100 percent.”

Muhammad has a long history of training with Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The brotherhood and respect between them means that ‘Remember the Name’ will not entertain the idea of facing the Dagestani champion at all for the welterweight title.

This means that Tsarukyan, who is the current no. 1 contender for the lightweight title, will get his shot at the champion and doesn’t have to worry about Makhachev moving up and challenging for a different belt. Makhachev and Tsarukyan also have a history together as they clashed in the cage back in 2019 in what was Tsarukyan’s first-ever fight under the UFC banner. 

Makhachev walked away the winner with a unanimous decision on the night, but Tsarukyan has since improved and is currently on a 4-fight win streak. So, what about the newly crowned welterweight champion’s next fight?

Belal Muhammad seemingly confirms Shavkat Rakhmonov fight with a win over Leon Edwards

Shavkat Rakhmonov has been on a tear through the welterweight division ever since he arrived in the UFC in 2020. Undefeated and with all of his fights ending in finishes so far, ‘Nomad’ was watching closely as Belal Muhammad dethroned Leon Edwards and captured the welterweight crown.

In a post made on X, Rakhmonov congratulated Muhammad but indicated that “I hope you keep your word and defend your title against me when you’re ready, champ”. During the post-fight press conference, Muhammad didn’t back down from the challenge as he responded by stating, “Yeah, of course… I’ve literally never turned down a fight, I never back down from anybody, I’ve had so many people turn down fights against me. So now I’m at the top, I’m the man, and for me it’s now cementing my legacy as the best welterweight to ever do it.”

With both men raring to go, it will be interesting to see how Muhammad’s title reign plays out. The future for the UFC’s lightweight and welterweight champions looks like it’s going to be filled with exciting matchups for the MMA fandom! What fight do you want to see more: Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan or Muhammad vs. Rakhmonov? Let us know in the comments below!