The wait is over and Belal Muhammad finally has an opponent for UFC 315. But it’s not the fight fans were expecting. Dana White recently confirmed that Muhammad will defend his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena on May 10, not against Shavkat Rakhmonov.

That raises the big question, what happened to Rakhmonov? The undefeated Kazakh seemed next in line after dominating Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310. The post-fight staredown between him and Muhammad made it seem like the fight was a lock. Yet, as weeks passed, there was no official confirmation. Now, with Della Maddalena stepping in, Rakhmonov’s absence is impossible to ignore. So, what’s the real reason this fight isn’t happening?

Shavkat Rakhmonov breaks silence with Daniel Cormier also dropping the bombshell about his title shot

During the latest episode of the ‘Funky and the Champ’ show on YouTube, Ben Askren and Daniel Cormier peeled back the curtain on the situation. Askren, convinced the fight was already set, casually asked, “When are these guys fighting?”. Cormier didn’t hesitate as he responded, “Belal Muhammad and Shavkat? They’re not scheduled to fight, dude.”

That stunned Askren, who admitted he thought the fight was booked for UFC 315. Cormier took the opportunity to poke fun at him, joking, “That’s why people come to me and go, ‘Well, your partner said’… I’m like, ‘Who?’ And they’re like, ‘Ben.’ I’m like, ‘He lies all the time.’” Askren laughed it off but defended himself, saying, “No, I don’t lie. I said if I know it’s true, I’ll say this is true. I thought I heard that they were fighting. They should be fighting. Why aren’t they scheduled?”

That’s when the ‘champ-champ’ dropped the bombshell, “No, but I think Shavkat hurt himself.” And now, ‘Nomad’ himself has come out to clear the air on the situation. In a recent post on X following Dana White’s earth-shattering announcement, the undefeated welterweight wrote, “Big thanks to the UFC for offering me the shot at the belt first. Unfortunately, due to injury, I won’t be ready for May. I’ll be facing the winner later this year!”

His message confirmed that once he’s healthy, he intends to face the winner. Although there were no details provided about the nature of the injury and an exact timeline for his recovery. So, does this mean Muhammad vs. Rakhmonov is inevitable later this year? Or could Della Maddalena shake up the division and throw a wrench into those plans? Because the champion has to now adjust his timeline and his game plan for his next opponent!

Belal Muhammad’s timeline and gameplan go out the window for UFC 315

For months, Belal Muhammad had one name on his mind: Shavkat Rakhmonov. In an interview with MMA Junkie, he revealed, “We look at our strategy and what we thought before the fight was going to work, and we saw it play out in that fight, and we think is still going to work. I don’t think he’s ever fought anybody like me.”

The welterweight champ also envisioned his first title defense happening in May or June, right after Ramadan. It made sense. The stare-down at UFC 310 all but confirmed their showdown was next. But plans change fast in MMA. Dana White’s bombshell announcement dropped. Rakhmonov was out, sidelined by injury. Muhammad would have to wait to test himself against ‘Nomad’. Instead, Jack Della Maddalena is stepping up for his first UFC title shot.

It’s a high-stakes shift in direction. Della Maddalena has been tearing through the welterweight division, putting together seven straight wins in the UFC. His latest performance, a stunning flying knee finish of Gilbert Burns has proved he’s more than just a sharp boxer. He was originally slated to face Leon Edwards in London, but with Rakhmonov injured, his opportunity came knocking sooner than expected.

Now, Belal Muhammad must pivot. The style matchup is vastly different. Rakhmonov would have been a grinding, relentless test of endurance and grappling exchanges. But Della Maddalena? He’s all about pressure, precision, and knockout power. Can Muhammad’s tactical approach and elite cardio weather the Aussie’s striking onslaught? Or will Della Maddalena seize his moment and flip the division on its head? Let us know what you think in the comments below!