Stephen Thompson scoffs at the suggestion that Shavkat Rakhmonov is simply walking by Belal Muhammad

Belal Muhammad had to scratch and claw his way to have a shot at becoming UFC champion, but even after winning the title in a lopsided fashion against Leon Edwards, he’s back in a familiar role as an underdog.

Although nothing is official, Mohammed appears destined to defend his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov in late 2024 or early 2025. With an undefeated record and a 100 percent career finishing percentage, Rakhmonov is already heavily favored to take Mohammed’s title from him. they meet each other.

But Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is quick to pump the brakes on Rakhmonov’s premature coronation after battling him and Mohammed for the past three years.

“Belal, he has every opportunity to go out and do well against Shavkat, just like Shavkat has a chance to beat him,” Thompson told MMA Fighting. “I mean, he’s the champion. How can you sit there and say Shavkat will run through him when all we’ve seen from Belal is dominance over everyone? I can’t remember the last fight he had.

“He did it to Sean Brady, he outsmarted him, he outsmarted him. He did it with everyone. Myself, Leon, Gilbert Burns. He fought against every style. He’s fought strikers. He’s fought wrestlers. He has fought very versatile MMA fighters. Come on, you can’t just sit there and tell me Shavkat will run through Belal.

To be fair, Thompson once had a similar opinion of Muhammad before he watched the future UFC champion take on renowned wrestler Demian Maia just six months before they fought.

That was a wake-up call that forced Thompson to reconsider Muhammad as a very different kind of threat, and it still didn’t stop him from losing a unanimous decision when they met.

“I felt the same way when he fought Demian Maia,” Thompson said of Muhammad. “I have a feeling Demian Maia is going to crush this guy. Demian Maia couldn’t take this man down. One of the best takedown defenses I’ve seen. Demian Maia, if he wants you on the ground, you’re going down and Belal did a great job with that fight and with everyone since.

Thompson also gives Rakhmonov a lot of credit after suffering a submission loss to the top-ranked welterweight contender last December. But just because Rakhmonov looks unstoppable doesn’t mean he can’t be beaten.

“I know (Belal is) the shorter fighter and Shavkat is a great striker. He can wrestle well, but so can Belal,” Thompson said. “When push comes to shove and they can’t take each other down, it’s going to be a stand-up match, I think. Kind of like the Kamaru Usman-Colby Covington (fights), I think they’re going to cancel each other out with their wrestling. They won’t be able to take each other down.

‘So it will have to be about who has the best shot? Belal has a gas tank. Shavkat likes to set his pace during the fight. He’s not throwing in your face all the time like Belal does. I think it will be a good test for both. I think it will be a remarkable match.”

While Mohammed has many weapons in his arsenal, Thompson believes his remarkable conditioning could be at the top of the list. He saw that when Mohammed dismantled Edwards in five rounds to become champion in July.

Thompson also saw Rakhmonov slow significantly in a closer-than-expected fight against Geoff Neal that lasted almost all three rounds.

“Geoff Neal, that wasn’t as fast as Belal (fights),” Thompson said. “Belal is going to make it an even faster pace, an even more intense pace than Geoff Neal did with Shavkat. He’ll look you straight in the eye, looking for the takedown, up and down, up and down, and just work you for five, five minutes.

“When it gets past the third, you start to see that fatigue, I think. Just from what I’ve seen of Shavkat, I think he’s going to be a little bit tired, a little tired.”

Thompson won’t pick a winner because he knows the fight isn’t easy to predict. Above all, he emphasizes that ignoring Muhammad is done at one’s own risk.

“I think if Shavkat wins, it’s going to be tough,” Thompson said. “I don’t think he’s running through him.

‘My hat’s off to Belal. I think he’s very good. I think the Shavkat fight would be a great fight for him.