Belal Muhammad, the UFC welterweight titleholder, has unfortunately had to pull out of the upcoming UFC 310 pay-per-view headliner against Shavkat Rakhmonov due to a bone infection in his foot. This unexpected withdrawal has left matchmakers scrambling to find a new main event for the event scheduled on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sources have confirmed the news following various reports on social media. Rakhmonov will be waiting on the sidelines until Muhammad is ready to return, which means there is an opportunity for a new exciting matchup to take the spotlight for the five-round main event. One potential fight being discussed is between the reigning light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, and Magomed Ankalaev on short notice.
If this fight comes to fruition, it will mark Pereira’s fourth title defense within the span of eight months, showcasing his dominance in the division. However, Pereira was initially planning to take a break until early 2025 after a challenging fight camp leading up to his recent title defense, where he secured a fourth-round knockout victory over Khalil Rountree Jr. in Salt Lake City.
Muhammad took to Instagram to share the unfortunate news with his fans, mentioning that he had to undergo IV antibiotics treatment for the next six weeks, preventing him from engaging in any physical activity. Despite this setback, Muhammad expressed his faith in a higher plan and apologized to everyone who was looking forward to seeing him in action, promising to make a comeback soon, by the grace of Allah.
As of now, the UFC has not made any official announcements regarding the future of UFC 310, but more updates are expected to be released in the coming days as the situation continues to develop. Fans will have to stay tuned to see how the promotion plans to address the absence of the originally scheduled main event and what new matchups will be put in place to keep the excitement alive for the upcoming event.
