Shavkat Rakhmonov welcomes in-cage faceoff with Belal Muhammad at UFC 310

Shavkat Rakhmonov will be happy to get face to face with Belal Muhammad at UFC 310, should he emerge victorious from the co-main event.

Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) will face Ian Machado Garry (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in a battle of unbeaten welterweight contenders scheduled for five rounds on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN2, Hulu, ESPN+).

UFC CEO Dana White has stated the winner will challenge champ Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC), who withdrew from the original headliner of the card against Rakhmonov.

As the anticipated matchup between Rakhmonov and Machado Garry gets closer, Muhammad revealed Monday on social media that he has been cleared to resume training from the foot infection that delayed his first 170-pound title defense.

That’s music to Rakhmonov’s ears, but it’s also not the genesis of much excitement. Rakhmonov knows that, without beating Machado Garry at UFC 310, there’s no shot at gold in his immediate future.

“Obviously that’s great news, but right now that’s not the focus right now – I have a fight ahead of me and this is what I have to do,” Rakhmonov told MMA Junkie through an interpreter. “I have to come out there and win. After that, then we can start talking what, where, how and when he’s ready and what the plans are. But for now, the focus is this Saturday.”

If Rakhmonov does manage to get his hand raised, he said he would welcome the promotion for a title fight with Muhammad to kick of right away. Muhammad will be in attendance at UFC 310, and if the champ wants to enter the cage for a faceoff, Rakhmonov is down.

“Of course, that’s not an issue at all,” Rakhmonov said. “If I get the victory, he can come in (the octagon).”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.