Muhammad expects to fight in December

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad said he intends to make the first defense of his title on Dec. 14 at UFC 310 in Las Vegas.

"Hopefully I can get a fight before the end of the year. December 14 is the right time, the best time to come back. It looks like McGregor will fight in that card, but they don't have a title fight, and the probability of Conor actually stepping into the octagon is no more than five percent. I'm ready to do it.

Maybe the opponent will be Rakhmonov - he's high in the rankings and is the real boogeyman of the division, so that fight makes sense. But then there's Usman - I know he's on a losing streak, but Dana White says he's the best welterweight of all time, so in terms of legacy it's the best option available," Muhammad told TMZ Sports.

Muhammad won the belt in late July at UFC 304, defeating Leon Edwards by unanimous decision.