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The welterweight title recently changed hands with Belal Muhammad dethroning Leon Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC 304 in Manchester in July. Rakhmonov, Usman, Jack Della Maddalena and Edwards appear to be among the leading contender for the next shot at Muhammad.
However, Rakhmonov believes that while others are close, he is clearly the most deserving candidate with all 18 of his career wins coming via stoppage — six of them in the UFC.
“UFC thinks that I’m the No.1 contender and I should be next,” Rakhmonov told Submission Radio. “Because there’s no [other] clear contender anyway. I got 100% finishes, all wins on the UFC. So I rightfully should be next. Everyone else [is] also very close but I think they need couple of wins to get this title shot. So I should be next… For me I’m actually ready any time. So before the end of the year or whenever UFC wants to organize this fight, whenever Belal is ready. This year, early next year, I don’t care. I’m ready to win this belt and bring it back to Kazakhstan.”
Rakhmonov had recently dismissed Usman’s bid for a title shot with a comparison of their records.
Reiterating his stance, Rakhmonov said Usman should be ashamed to ask for a title shot while on a three-fight losing streak.“I don’t know what [Usman’s] thinking about,” he said. “I think it’s kind of shame to ask for title shot after losing three fights straight… I cannot get my head around it. But yeah, it is what it is.”
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