Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Belal Muhammad (red gloves) defeats Sean Brady (blue gloves) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

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Belal Muhammad Takes Leon Edwards’ Opponent In His First UFC Welterweight Title Defense

Belal Muhammad steps in to face Leon Edwards' original opponent in his first UFC Welterweight title defense! Big challenge ahead!

Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Belal Muhammad (red gloves) defeats Sean Brady (blue gloves) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

Belal Muhammad’s journey to the title was anything but conventional . After years of being overlooked and underrated, he finally got his revenge against Leon Edwards at UFC 304 last July. The victory was extra sweet considering their first fight in 2021 ended in controversy due to an eye poke. Sometimes the best stories in MMA are the ones that take the longest to unfold.

The Palestinian-American fighter was supposed to defend his title last year against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov. However, a freak injury derailed his plans. Now, he is set to defend his title at UFC 315, but against an unexpected opponent!

Also Read: Bellator Champion Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Joins The UFC Featherweight Roster; Debut Fight Against High Ranked Opponent Announced!

Belal Muhammad’s First Title Defense Takes an Unexpected Turn

The fighting world expected Muhammad to face the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov in his first title defense, but fate had other plans. A bone infection in Muhammad’s foot forced him out of their scheduled UFC 310 bout last December. Now, in a twist involving Leon Edwards, Muhammad will defend his belt against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in Montreal.

The kicker is that Della Maddalena was supposed to fight Edwards in London. Muhammad, being the social media trash talker he is, couldn’t resist poking fun at his old rival, tweeting

“Dang, I stole Leon’s belt and his opponent.”

🗣️ Belal Muhammad: "Dang I stole Leon's belt and his opponent." 💀💀#UFC315 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/3AMh5PC0jx
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 20, 2025

The matchup itself is fascinating, especially considering Belal Muhammad’s recent comments about channeling his inner Canelo Alvarez. His striking coach Horacio Gutierrez must be either very confident or very creative with his comparisons! Belal Muhammad enters the fight riding an impressive 11-fight unbeaten streak, which includes wins over some serious competition like Gilbert Burns and Stephen Thompson. This whole situation leaves Edwards in an interesting spot. The former champ now has to face Sean Brady in March instead of his original opponent.

🚨 BREAKING! Leon Edwards will be fighting Sean Brady at #UFCLondon

Jack Della Maddalena will be fighting another opponent

(per. @UFC) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/Seymk795hU
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 20, 2025

Shavkat Rakhmonov Issues Statement

The UFC welterweight division has seen its share of dominant forces, but few have made an entrance quite like Shavkat Rakhmonov. Since his UFC debut in 2020, he’s been nothing short of a nightmare for his opponents, racking up seven straight wins with a perfect finishing rate (except the last fight against Ian Garry).

His latest victory over the previously undefeated Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310 only added to his mystique, especially considering what fans now know. According to Daniel Cormier’s revelation, Rakhmonov fought that night with a torn MCL – the kind of injury that would have most fighters calling their insurance agent, not stepping into the octagon.

Now, as Belal Muhammad prepares to defend his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, Rakhmonov has taken to social media to clear the air about his absence from the title picture.

“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.”

Shavkat Rakhmonov reveals an injury prevented him from challenging for UFC gold in May pic.twitter.com/moyDExm94k
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) February 20, 2025

This is a classy move from a fighter who could have easily complained about being passed over. Shavkat Rakhmonov’s taking the high road here, confirming he will face the winner later this year. In the meantime, the rest of the welterweight division can breathe a collective sigh of relief. They have got a few more months before the ‘Nomad’ comes hunting for them again!

(Image Credit: Craig Kidwell – Imagn Images)

Belal Muhammad

Jack Della Maddalena

Leon Edwards

Sean Brady

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!