Champ Belal Muhammad Reveals Pick for Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry

Belal Muhammad's first title challenger will come out of UFC 310 later today. But, who will it be?

UFC 310 Main Card Predictions: Does Garry Upset Rakhmonov?

Originally scheduled to headline the final pay-per-view event across from the 18-0 Shavkat Rakhmonov, welterweight champion Muhammad would be forced out of the bout due to a bone infection, leaving the door open for another title hopeful, Ian Machado Garry.

Top welterweights go HEAD-TO-HEAD 🍿@Rakhmonov1994 vs @IanGarryMMA showdown in the #UFC310 co-main event!

[ LIVE TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus PPV | 📺: https://t.co/SPiHQrFfAc ] pic.twitter.com/4DA0Azerhq
— UFC (@ufc) December 7, 2024

Ireland's Garry put his undefeated record on the line, the same as Rakhmonov, in the new co-main event of UFC 310. The winner will be on the definite road to gold against Muhammad.

Muhammad Predicts UFC 310 Title Eliminator

Getting back on his feet and cleared to compete as of this week, "Remember The Name" would make his prediction for Rakhmonov vs. Machado Garry.

"I keep leaning towards Ian," Muhammad said on Tim Welch's Red Hawk Recap. "When I'm watching the tape and I'm looking at it, I think that I feel like he's the more technical striker. He's the better striker. He's faster."

While Garry is touted to be the cleaner striker in the matchup, Rakhmonov is more down and dirty, finishing all 18 of his fights through thick and thin.

"I think Shavkat just has that toughness in him, and I think he definitely has better ground game than Ian," Muhammad said of Rakhmonov.

"I think Ian's very smart with the way he moves. He's not affected by, like, the crowd or anything like that. He'll stick and move his way to victory and not care if he's getting booed or not. The fact that they train together and they know how each other moves and each other works... Shavkat gets hit a lot."

Muhammad continued.

"If I'm gonna put my money on anyone, I'm going to put it on Ian."

As for when the champion can return against either man, Belal Muhammad says it all depends on whether the welterweight matchup is going to be a war, which will affect how fast they can make the turnaround for a title fight.

UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Garry vs. Rakhmonov Free Live Stream (Watch Along)

Muhammad Predicts UFC 310 Title Eliminator

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