Surprise Title Challenger Proposed for UFC Champ Belal Muhammad

Chael Sonnen says Kamaru Usman vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov "makes more sense" with Ian Machado Garry next for Belal Muhammad.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Chael Sonnen says Belal Muhammad has not two, but three options for his first title defense.

The UFC has a new crop of welterweight contenders, including Shavkat Rakhmonov, Jack Della Maddalena, and Ian Machado Garry. The next title fight will likely go to the undefeated Rakhmonov or to former champ Kamaru Usman, as Muhammad has suggested following his title win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

The champ has spoken pic.twitter.com/3TYoRuJqVm

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) August 31, 2024

#7-Ranked Garry Touted As Third Option For Muhammad

That much is clear to three-time UFC title challenger Sonnen, but there is a lot of debate between who Belal Muhammad will defend his championship belt against between Rakhmonov or Usman, with Sonnen presenting an unlikely option for Muhammad that might just fit the bill.

"Who should Belal Muhammad fight next? It sure feels as though we're down to three: Kamaru Usman. Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Garry," Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.

"Now Ian Garry is completely undefeated. He is the youngest of the bunch. I'm fairly confident in telling you he's the biggest star of the bunch. I'm fairly confident in telling you right [now] if all three of them walked into a a room and got introduced, that the loudest popping reception would go to Garry."

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UFC's Ian Machado Garry. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Sonnen Not So Sure About A Title Eliminator

Ireland's Ian Machado Garry is as outspoken as they come at 27 years of age, boasting a perfect 15-0 record and a 8-fight win streak inside the UFC after defeating Michael "Venom" Page most recently at UFC 303.

Garry currently falls behind his fellow top contenders at #7. While he might be considered a ways out from a title opportunity, we've seen the promotion hand out title fights to lower-ranked contenders before - twice this year with Top 10 flyweight Steve Erceg and #8-ranked light heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. getting cracks at gold.

"I'm not sure that Ian Garry isn't the strongest idea," Sonnen said of the next welterweight title fight. "I know he's young and that 0 is beautiful, but he has worked his way up the ranks. There's nowhere you can put him now that isn't gonna be an extremely difficult fight. If you try to get cutesy with it and you have an elimination fight, you will succeed. You will eliminate a guy that could be coming in to fight for a championship. It's a problem. It requires great consideration."

UFC's Ian Machado Garry. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

A Win-Win Situation For The Welterweights?

Personally, Sonnen wants to see Kamaru Usman fight Muhammad for the title, but he thinks that would leave fight fans with a title eliminator between Rakhmonov and Garry that "nobody's dying to see."

Instead of that, Sonnen pitches a fight between Rakhmonov and Usman to decide who will be the next title challenger for new champ Muhammad.

"One of them now goes down, and that's hard," Sonnen said of Rakhmonov potentially fighting Garry. "That would be a hard thing to do to yourself in a non-main event situation. That's where if Kamaru Usman was to fight Rahkmonov, it's only a win. There's nothing bad that happens..."

"If Kamaru was to fight Rakhmonov, I don't see any bad thing that happens there," Sonnen explained. "While that's happening, you put Ian Garry against Belal. Now Ian Garry is probably the least deserving of the three. But Belal vs. Garry, Rakhmonov versus Usman makes more sense than taking those four guys and changing the order."

Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Is Belal Muhammad vs. Ian Machado Garry the fight to make at welterweight?

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