The welterweight title fight between Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 generated a lot of hype when it was first announced. However, Muhammad had to withdraw from the bout due to a toe injury. While fans initially assumed it was a minor issue, the injury turned out to be far more serious. The welterweight champion later revealed that if he had made a wrong move, he could have ended up losing his foot.
The welterweight champion is set to put his title on the line against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. Meanwhile, Muhammad reflected on the injury that had sidelined him previously, revealing it was much more serious than people realized. What started as a toe injury turned into a dangerous bone infection because the break allowed it to spread rapidly. Speaking with “Mighty” Demetrious Johnson, Muhammad explained,
“Since the toe was broken, the infection went straight into the bone and got in there quicker. So it spread a lot faster. The doctor took a piece of the bone from the toe to know exactly what antibiotics to give me. He was like, ‘If you’d waited a couple more days, it would have grown up the foot.”
Luckily, his healthy body helped fight the infection in time. Now, fans will finally get to see him make his first-ever title defense this weekend.
Gilbert Burns Believes Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena Will Be a Tough
Muhammad was originally set to defend his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov, but after the fight was canceled twice due to injuries on both sides, Jack Della Maddalena stepped in for UFC 315. While fan buzz is low, top welterweight Gilbert Burns believes the matchup is much tighter than people think. Speaking to MMA Junkie, Burns said,
“I think Belal is going to struggle a lot in the striking. JDM is not going anywhere. That guy is going to stay there. I was taking Belal as a favorite, but I’m kind of changing. That fight is super, super close. Belal has the speed advantage for sure in the cardio, but JDM is a monster, too.”
Burns acknowledges that while Belal has the speed and cardio advantage, JDM is still a powerful threat. Having faced both fighters, Burns believes this will be a highly competitive fight, despite many fans favoring Belal due to his cardio and fight IQ. This welterweight clash is shaping up to be an incredibly exciting matchup.
Also Read: UFC 315 Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena: Start Time, Streaming Details And More