Reigning UFC welterweight titleholder, Belal Muhammad, watched the UFC 312 pay-per-view (PPV) title fight between headlining “bums” Dricus Du Plessis (c) and Sean Strickland earlier this month in Sydney, and “Remember the Name” was not impressed.
That’s one of many reasons why Muhammad has his eyes on the higher weight class. Not only will it allow him to chase a second title, it will also clear a path for current lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev, to try his luck against the top 170-pound contenders.
“I would never fight Islam because that’s different for me and him,” Muhammad told Barstool Sports. “We’ve trained together, and when you’re sweating with somebody, and you’re bleeding with somebody, and you train with somebody like that, it’s just a different relationship. It wouldn’t be about the money for me or for him, I would assume. I would never want to do that, and they’ve helped me so much. So for me, I would rather go up to 185 pounds and let him just take 170 if that is the case.”
Muhammad trained with Makhachev and the “Michael Jordan of MMA” ahead of his title winning performance atop the UFC 304 fight card last summer in Manchester.
“Since I’ve already had to fight my way up to 170, and I’ve beaten five of the top 10 guys, like I’m two fights away from being able to challenge at 185 and saying, ‘Yeah I want to be double champ’ — 185 would be no problem,” Muhammad continued. “I train with bigger guys. I’ve felt their strength, and 185 is probably the easiest weight class besides Khamzat. When you look at [the UFC 312] main event, you’re like ‘Bro, Strickland and Du Plessis suck.’”
There’s plenty of work to be done before the promotion will entertain talk of a second belt. Muhammad must first defend his strap against undefeated title contender, Shavkat Rakhmonov, at some point over the next few months. In addition, Khamzat Chimaev is likely to battle Du Plessis for the 185-pound crown later this year.
Until then, beware of “fake news.”