According to the American, his fight with the representative of Kazakhstan will take place after he takes the championship belt from the British Leon Edwards.
“Looking ahead – Leon in June, and the first defense against Shavkat in October,” Muhammad wrote in the social network.
It’s worth noting that Rakhmonov’s chances of getting the next title fight look favored as “Nomad” was among those offered to fight Edwards at UFC 300 in Las Vegas, while Muhammad was defiantly ignored by the UFC.
Belal Muhammad is riding a five-fight win streak, winning a unanimous decision over Gilbert Burns in his last fight, while Shavkat Rakhmonov picked up his sixth early victory in the UFC in December, finishing Stephen Thompson with a second-round rear-naked choke.