Shavkat Rakhmonov is looking for an opponent for UFC 310 in December. The undefeated welterweight phenom, of course, was set to face champ Belal Muhammad for the 170lbs gold. But the latter was forced to pull out due to a bone infection. Which promoted ‘Nomad’ to call for an interim title shot against whoever is game and is picked by the UFC.
In recent days, former champion Kamaru Usman and former interim champ Colby Covington have made some noise about wanting to fight Rakhmonov. However, in a recent tweet, the Kazakh phenom has claimed it is just this- noise and neither man is actually serious about facing him.
“All I hear are empty callouts! No real intention, no action. Just posturing for the media and fans [Kamaru Usman], [Colby Covington],” Rakhmonov tweeted.
Who was Shavkat Rakhmonov originally set to face for the 170lbs title at UFC 310?
Colby Covington
Kamaru Usman
Belal Muhammad
Leon Edwards
Usman, of course, took to his podcast recently, where he made it clear that he was ready to step in and fight Rakhmonov on short notice, just as he had done last year against Khamat Chimaev- another undefeated phenom. On the other hand, Covington claimed in a recent interview that “I told the UFC that I was willing to step up to the plate.”
However, Rakhmonov doesn’t think either of them are sincere. To be fair, Covington has a history of calling out fighters and then not fighting them. Earlier this year, ‘Chaos’ was involved in a beef with #7 Ian Garry, who had called him out. After going back and forth on social media, when the time came to sign the contract to fight Garry, Covington backed out.
But Usman is not one to play games and can usually be relied on to do walk his talk as he proved last November by agreeing to fight Chimaev on barely ten days’ notice. Perhaps the Kazakh knows something that the fans don’t. But if not Usman or Covington, then who? Well, there’s not much for the UFC to pick from.
Who can face Shavkat Rakhmonov for the interim title at UFC 310?
If the UFC indeed decides to go with an interim welterweight title clash to headline UFC 310, there are only a couple of guys in the entire top-ten who are available. Most of the others are either coming off losses or injured and out of action. Right from #1 Leon Edwards to #4 Jack Della Maddalena and #8 Gilbert Burns, none of the usual suspects are in a position to fight for the interim belt.
At the moment, #5 ranked Sean Brady and #7 Ian Garry are the only ones available. To make matters worse, Garry is scheduled to fight #9 Joaquin Buckley atop a Fight Night card in December. Not to mention some would argue that Brady hasn’t really done enough to deserve to fight for the title, even if the interim one.
Brady’s biggest win so far was against the legendary Gilbert Burns, but ‘Durinho’ has been on a downward skid, suffering from injuries, and not the same fighter he is at his best. All things considered, the UFC is in a very bad place as far as the UFC 310 main event goes. And with the clock ticking and the December 7 card fast approaching, it needs to make a decision and make it quick. What are your thoughts on Shavkat Rakhmonov’s take on Covington and Usman throwing their name in the hat to face him in December?
