A physician detailed the bone infection associated with Belal Muhammad’s withdrawal from UFC 310.
UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad’s first title defense is indefinitely postponed after the titleholder suffered a nasty foot infection ahead of UFC 310. He was scheduled to face unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov in the UFC 310 main event before withdrawing from the card last week.
Muhammad stoked the worries of fans, pundits, and fellow fighters when he posted photos of him in a hospital bed just weeks before UFC 310. He shared a bone infection in one of his toes that forced him to pull out of the year’s final UFC pay-per-view.
Dr. Yared Vazquez, an internal medicine physician, took to social media to break down Muhammad’s infection and what his recovery looks like. You can watch Dr. Vazquez’s full breakdown below.
Doctor explains Belal Muhammad’s bone infection and recovery
As Dr. Vazquez explains below, Muhammad was diagnosed with a rare condition called Osteomyelitis in one of his toes. It’s centered in the bone marrow and tissue of the affected area.
Symptoms associated with Osteomyelitis include fever, pain, and swelling. Treatment is complicated but includes antibiotics being injected into his bloodstream to stop the spread of infection.
Muhammad is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks before resuming training and physical activity.
Belal Muhammad’s title reign hits speed bump after UFC 310 withdrawal
Muhammad earned the UFC welterweight title by dethroning Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in Manchester. He’s on an 11-fight unbeaten streak and hasn’t lost a bout since 2019, a unanimous decision defeat to Geoff Neal.
Since the loss to Neal, Muhammad’s risen to the top of the UFC welterweight division with a flurry of impressive performances. During his ongoing win streak, he’s defeated former title challengers Stephen Thompson, Gilbert Burns, and Demian Maia.
Muhammad has a history of resiliency when it comes to dealing with injuries and ailments during his career. After a nasty eye injury suffered against Edwards in March 2021, Muhammad fought just three months later, defeating Maia by unanimous decision.
As of this writing, it’s uncertain if Rakhmonov will remain on UFC 310 against a replacement opponent. Kamaru Usman and Ian Machado Garry were two names tossed around for a possible short-notice booking.
As 2025 approaches, Muhammad will take some time off to recover from Osteomyelitis before making his first UFC welterweight title defense. In the meantime, his UFC welterweight title reign is off to an unideal start.