Muhammad and McGregor Trade Insults After UFC 310
Belal Muhammad and Conor McGregor exchanged insults after Muhammad withdrew from his scheduled December 2024 title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov. The online dispute became a brief sideshow to a major change in the welterweight championship picture: Muhammad’s injury opened the door for Ian Machado Garry to face Rakhmonov, and the champion eventually returned to defend his belt against Jack Della Maddalena.
The exchange followed a late withdrawal
Muhammad was forced out of the December 7, 2024 main event with a bone infection in his foot. McGregor mocked the withdrawal on social media, and Muhammad responded by calling him a “junkie.” Contemporary reporting documented the exchange and the injury that prompted it.
Rakhmonov faced Garry instead
Garry stepped in to face Rakhmonov, turning the planned title bout into a five-round contest with major implications for the division. Rakhmonov kept his undefeated record with a unanimous decision, all three judges scoring the fight 48–47. The official scorecards record a close, competitive result that strengthened Rakhmonov’s standing among the top contenders.
Muhammad returned, but lost the title
After recovering, Muhammad returned on May 10, 2025, to defend his championship against Della Maddalena in Montreal. The challenger’s movement and striking carried the night: Della Maddalena won by unanimous decision on scores of 48–47, 48–47 and 49–46. The scorecards show the Australian taking the belt in a fight contested on the feet.
The episode is remembered less as a feud that could become a fight than as a moment when injury changed the division’s plans. Muhammad’s exchanges with McGregor supplied the headline, while the replacement bout and later title defense determined the sporting consequences.
