Shavkat Says Belal Fight was Offered on October Salt Lake City Card

[Wormwood]

According to Shavkat, he was offered to fight Belal on the October Salt Lake City Card. Shavkat accepted, but Belal allegedly turned down the fight date. It sounds reasonable to turn down an October date since he fought Leon in July. Hopefully the fight happens in December or early 2025.

“I’ve already been offered a fight [with] Belal, and I accepted the fight against Belal,” Rakhmonov told MMA Fighting on Friday (30 August). “But unfortunately, he declined to fight me due to the timing issues. He wasn’t ready to defend his belt on that time.

“It was in October, the Salt Lake [City] card,” added the Kazakh, who is 18-0 with 18 stoppages.“

full article:

Shavkat Rakhmonov claims Belal Muhammad has turned down UFC title defence ‘due to timing issues’

Rakhmonov is expected to be Muhammad’s first challenger for the welterweight belt

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Pitier of Fools]

Belal wants to be the champ for more than three months I guess.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

I dont see the issue here. Shavrat can wait. And i don't even like Belul.

 

[CC27]

I get Belal turning it down since it was very short turnaround but also get UFC offering it. They just found out Islam was out of the Abu dhabi card, they moved Max/Topuria off 307 cause Abu Dhabi needed something big and then they needed to find a fight for Utah. They had feelers out to see if WW could be an option and it wasnt and then they settled on Alex.

 

[AldoStillGoat]

Shavkat is entitled. Let Usman fight Belal.

 

[blaseblase]

Belal literally said he wouldn't be ready by October a month ago. This was 5 days after his fight.



The UFC are clowns if they are trying to book him for a date he already made clear he wouldn't be ready by,

 

[wh4tttt]

who wants to fight in elevation anyways.

 

[laleggenda27]

1. Of course the UFC is trying to get Belal beat as quickly as possible. This was predictable.
2. Belal was smart to to cave in to the pressure like Aljo did.
3. The only thing surprising about this is that they wanted the fight in Utah.

 

[KO Shotz]

Belal vs Shavkat in December or January.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

1. Of course the UFC is trying to get Belal beat as quickly as possible. This was predictable.
2. Belal was smart to to cave in to the pressure like Aljo did.
3. The only thing surprising about this is that they wanted the fight in Utah.

3. Probably because Abu Dhabi might favor Belal.

 

[10000yearsold]

Book it for December. What’s the problem?

 

[blaseblase]

3. Probably because Abu Dhabi might favor Belal.

How so?

 

[Jackonfire]

So they offered him the fight but he turned it down. Understandable. But I don't see anything wrong with offering him the date. See if he wants to build on his momentum. It is short notice. But then again, Islam won the belt in Oct. then defended, in Australia 4 months later against Volk.

 

[IDGETKTFO]

How so?

Moose Limb , supports Palestine...ect...ect. Now this post will self destruct in...1...2...3

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

That's just 70 days since he defended it. Not a lot of recovery time plus a camp there.

 

[ArtardFiesta]

Belal wants to be the champ for more than three months I guess.

he is the iron sheik

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Belal literally said he wouldn't be ready by October a month ago. This was 5 days after his fight.

View attachment 1060647

The UFC are clowns if they are trying to book him for a date he already made clear he wouldn't be ready by,

Yeah, so I don't know what anyone was expecting.

"October 28th is too soon."
-
"Ugh, he turned down October 5th."

who wants to fight in elevation anyways.

To be fair, Belal's grinding cardio and pace at elevation would probably be a great boon to him vs a guy like Shavkat who has never had to hear the final bell.

 

[CatchtheseHands]

Book it for December. What’s the problem?

Conor might fight in December if I had to guess.

 

[CieloLuce]

One of the few times I don't mind Belal enjoying his title and doing media tour to enjoy the benefits.

Just don't drag it out until next year(until February).

 

[svmr_db]

Belal will fight Shavkat next no problem but the UFC trying to turn Belal back around in under 2.5 months after the Edwards fight is bad form, so transparent what they're trying to do.