Shavkat Rakhmonov Targeted To Remain On UFC 310 Card, Welcomes Kamaru Usman Interim Title Fight

Seeing an undisputed welterweight championship fight fall off UFC 310 next month, unbeaten finisher, Shavkat Rakhmonov is currently in talks to remain on the December card according to his manager, as well as welcoming the chance to compete for interim spoils against Kamaru Usman.

Shavkat Rakhmonov, the current number three rated welterweight contender, was scheduled to take main event honors at UFC 310 next month in his premiere title fight under the banner of the promotion.

However, last week, defending titleholder, Belal Muhammad confirmed his withdrawal from the championship defense, citing a bone infection in his foot ahead of the massive title outing.

Shavkat Rakhmonov welcomes Kamaru Usman pairing at UFC 310

And linked with a potential interim title fight on the same final flagship event of the annum, according to Rakhmonov’s manager, his client is still in talks to feature at UFC 310 — before welcoming the chance to take on former dominant undisputed gold holder, Usman.

“Yeah, right now negotiations are going on [to keep him at UFC 310],” Shavkat Rakhmonov’s manager told Ariel Helwani. “I don’t know if they’re talking to someone else [but] I’m sure they offered Kamaru (Usman), too.”

In the midst of a spectacular eighteen-fight unbeaten run throughout his mixed martial arts career, Rakhmonov maintained his staggering 100 percent finishing spree back in December of last year, courtesy of a submission win over veteran former two-time title challenger, Stephen Thompson.

As for Usman, the former pound-for-pound number one fighter on the promotion’s books, has been sidelined for a over a year now, most recently making an impromptu middleweight walk in a short-notice pairing against the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi.

Without a win since a 2021 rematch with former interim gold holder, Colby Covington, Usman would turn in a unanimous decision win over the outspoken veteran in their grudge pairing.