Who should be the next challenger for Belal Muhammad’s welterweight crown? ‘Remember the Name’ etched his name in the history books when he ended Leon Edwards’ reign at UFC 304. Coming into the match-up, Muhammad was considered a heavy underdog but shut down all doubters with a unanimous decision victory over ‘Rocky’.

Now, the discussion has turned to who’s next in line for a shot at the champion. With names like former welterweight king Kamaru Usman and undefeated phenom Shavkat Rakhmonov waiting in the wings, a UFC insider has now made a bold claim. What did he have to say? It seems like the UFC and Dana White have their preference for the next matchup already set!

UFC insider dubs Shavkat Rakhmonov as “unquestioned” choice for Belal Muhammad’s title defense 

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Belal Muhammad had a surprising response when asked about his first title defense. Muhammad stated that, “Honestly, I would say Kamaru just because he’s fought the highest level for so long.”

Kamaru Usman last stepped into the Octagon against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in a short-notice middleweight bout. Despite moving up a weight-class, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ put in a solid performance but ultimately came up short. However, he still holds the no.1 spot in the welterweight division rankings.

So, is Muhammad trying to avoid taking on the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov? According to Jon Anik, that isn’t the case. In a recent post made on X, the UFC’s iconic commentator shared that, “Shavkat Rakhmonov is 18-0 w/ 18 finishes. 6-0 in the UFC. Whether he has the No. 3 or No. 1 ranking matters not. Most of us see him as the largely unquestioned, rightful, next title challenger. And I think the UFC concurs! But the champion ain’t the f–king problem. Trust.”

In another post, Anik also denounced the claims that Muhammad is trying to “sidestep” the challenge Rakhmonov presents by labeling it “straight fake news”. His position inside the UFC makes Anik’s perspective very interesting, as Shavkat Rakhmonov himself revealed that the promotion had already made plans for him and Belal Muhammad!

‘Nomad’ claims Muhammad turned down a fight at UFC 307 

Shavkat Rakhmonov is on a run of a lifetime in the UFC with all of his fights ending via a finish since he made his debut in 2020. Holding wins over names like Geoff Neal, Stephen Thompson, and Neil Magny, ‘Nomad’ has put up a resume that makes it hard to deny his place as a contender for the welterweight title. But why hasn’t the UFC made a match-up between him and Belal Muhammad?

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Rakhmonov revealed, “Actually I’ve already been offered a fight to fight Belal, and I accepted the fight against Belal. Unfortunately, he declined to fight me due to the title issues. He wasn’t ready to defend his belt on that time…” The timing Rakhmonov is referring to was UFC 307, which will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah in October. However, due to the incredibly short turnaround between Muhammad’s fight at UFC 304 and the October 5th date for UFC 307, it’d make sense why ‘Remember the Name’ would be hesitant to accept a title fight.

Ultimately, the next challenger for Belal Muhammad’s welterweight crown remains a hot topic. With Kamaru Usman’s legacy and Shavkat Rakhmonov’s undefeated streak looming large, it’s a question of timing and strategy. While Jon Anik has indicated that the UFC and Dana White are leaning towards ‘Nomad’ as their pick, it remains to be seen how the situation unfolds. Do you think Kamaru Usman should get the next shot at the title instead of Shavkat Rakhmonov? Or is Jon Anik right in his assessment? Let us know what you think in the comments below!