Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has dismissed the notion that Belal Muhammad captured welterweight gold in “boring” fashion.
Muhammad achieved his long-held title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
“Remember the Name” entered the Octagon as an underdog against Leon Edwards and with many expecting “Rocky” to handedly defend his title again given how the first round of their 2021 fight played out.
But the challenger ultimately made good on his promise to dominate the champion in his own backyard, securing control for the majority of the fight and landing some notable shots of his own on the feet en route to a unanimous decision victory.
With that, Muhammad proved his doubters wrong in a major way. But, of course, not everyone is giving the new welterweight kingpin credit. Some of his detractors have accused him of reaching the top with a less than entertaining style and performance at UFC 304.
In that regard, Muhammad has the backing of one individual who had a close view of his efforts inside the cage in the UK…
Cormier Shuts Down ‘Boring’ Accusations After Muhammad’s UFC 304 Triumph
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the events that unfolded at UFC 304 from cageside inside Manchester’s Co-op Live.
Reflecting on the main event, “DC” had nothing but praise for Muhammad, admitting that he put in a display that went above and beyond what he had expected from the American-Palestinian.
The ex-heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder also pushed back on claims the UFC 304 headliner was “boring,” highlighting Muhammad’s impressive performance in all aspects of the game.
“Tonight, Belal Muhammad fought the absolute perfect fight,” Cormier said. “He said all week that he would make this look easy. I didn’t believe him, and I will say that openly. I thought he was underestimating Leon Edwards. I thought when he was walking out to the Octagon, he looked a bit confident and I wasn’t sure that it was warranted. But what he did in the Octagon tonight was so special.
“Belal gets a bit of a bad rap, and at times they say he’s boring. But I will tell you right now, that was the furthest thing from a boring fight from the new champion,” Cormier continued. “His pace was amazing, his pressure was amazing, his striking — he fought and struck with Leon Edwards. He outlanded Leon Edwards. … It was a fantastic performance.”
Continued dismissive remarks from some in the community won’t come as a surprise to Muhammad, who has long dealt with criticism from an abundance of haters. But with the welterweight title now in his possession, it’s safe to say that “Remember the Name” had the last laugh in Manchester.
He’ll now look to continue that trend by turning back challenges from the division’s pool of contenders and building a lengthy reign.
REMEMBER THE NAME
@BullyB170 defeats Leon Edwards by unanimous decision to become the NEW welterweight champion of the world!
[ B2YB @ForThePeople | #UFC304 ] pic.twitter.com/ZqUpxv04Tl
— UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2024
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