Kamaru Usman addresses rumors of stepping up on short notice against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310

Belal Muhammad has pulled out of his first title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, leaving the latter without an opponent. The UFC’s search for a replacement has begun, with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman expressing the desire to step in for Muhammad on relatively short notice.

On a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman revealed that he's prepared to fight against ‘Nomad’ at UFC 310. Usman also mentioned that he’s fought on short notice previously and will be ready if the UFC comes calling. He said:

“If the UFC is going to call, they know who’s legit, tough enough, and crazy enough to step in there on short notice and possibly shock the world. The UFC knows who to call when that situation happens, and if they do give me a call, I’m going to answer. We’ll get a couple things straight, and if we have to do it, we’ll do it. I don’t shy away from that—I’ve done it on seven days’ notice, six days’ notice, even on eight days’ notice.”

Check out Kamaru Usman's comments below (37:50):

After Muhammad announced his bone infection and confirmed he wouldn’t be fighting at UFC 310, Rakhmonov started discussions for an interim title fight. Arguably, who better than 'The Nigerian Nightmare,' known for taking short-notice fights?

One such bout was against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 after Paulo Costa pulled out. The fight was highly competitive and proved to be one of Chimaev’s toughest challenges, though he ultimately won via majority decision.

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Shavkat Rakhmonov considering Kamaru Usman for interim title fight

Shavkat Rakhmonov expressed his desire to stay active, stating he’s ready to take on Kamaru Usman for an interim title fight at UFC 310. During his recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Rakhmonov said:

“I believe there is a worthy opponent available. I’m ready to save the card, too if it’s for the interim title. I believe [Kamaru] Usman is the worthy opponent who’s also probably ready to jump in and face me.”

Check out Shavkat Rakhmonov’s comment below: