Tag: belal muhammad

Belal Muhammad Explains Why He Deserves A Title Shot Before Leon Edwards

Belall MuhammadWhen #5 ranked Welterweight Belal Muhammad dominated Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson this past Saturday night, it was clear he was ready for a major step up in competition. Riding a 6 fight winning streak, Muhammad firmly believes he is deserving of the next welterweight title shot over former opponent Leon Edwards. “I literally fought eight times […]

Belall Muhammad

When #5 ranked Welterweight Belal Muhammad dominated Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson this past Saturday night, it was clear he was ready for a major step up in competition.

Riding a 6 fight winning streak, Muhammad firmly believes he is deserving of the next welterweight title shot over former opponent Leon Edwards.

“I literally fought eight times while Leon’s fought three times in the last two or three years,” Muhammad told MMA Fighting. “I’m the one pushing, I’m the one being active. Dana White says he likes active fighters, he doesn’t like these people waiting. So if I go out there, I get a big win, I think I earned definitely a skip in front of him.

“I feel like I’ve earned a skip in front of him already based off of the level of opponent I fought. I fought [Demian] Maia and ‘Wonderboy’ (Stephen Thompson) back to back. And he’s fought, who did he beat… [Rafael] dos Anjos and Nate Diaz, who are both 55ers. So it’s like, if you really think, he hasn’t fought any ranked 170 pounders that are actually ranked and good right now.” (Transcribed by Sportskeeda)

While Edwards is riding an impressive 10 fight unbeaten streak, he’s only fought twice in the past 2 years. Muhammad on the other hand, fought 4 times in 2021 alone.

When Muhammad and Edwards met in the octagon in March 2021, it ended in a no contest after Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye, rendering him unable to compete. The pair have been going back and forth on social media ever since.

Does Belal Muhammad deserve a title shot over Leon Edwards?

Chimaev & Muhammad Engage In Drawn-Out Twitter Battle

Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad may or may not fight one another in the Octagon, but they have already engaged in a drawn-out Twitter battle.

Belal Muhammad has gone unbeaten in his last seven fights. Heading into this past Saturday’s UFC Vegas …

Belal Muhammad, Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad may or may not fight one another in the Octagon, but they have already engaged in a drawn-out Twitter battle.

Belal Muhammad has gone unbeaten in his last seven fights. Heading into this past Saturday’s UFC Vegas 45 event, Muhammad’s latest win had come over legendary grappler Demian Maia at UFC 263. This earned the Chicagoan a headliner opposite Stephen Thompson in what was arguably the most difficult test of Muhammad’s career.

He aced it with flying colors.

UFC: Belal Muhammad decries 'drunken hick screaming racist words' in win over 'Wonderboy', and demands a title shot | South China Morning Post
Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

For his reward, he moved up a few grade levels up to the #5 ranking in the welterweight division. While Muhammad firmly believes reigning champion Kamaru Usman is in need of some fresh challenges, he’d also be willing to fight undefeated juggernaut Khamzat Chimaev, despite Borz being ranked six spots beneath him at #11.

In fact, Muhammad has stated that a victory over Chimaev would be more valuable than beating any other ranked opponent. It’s not often that a fighter in the top 5 calls out someone outside of the top 10 with so much gusto.

Yet, despite the rarity of this occurrence, Borz isn’t taking the callout all that seriously based on the following tweet published Thursday.

“When you got a finger in your eye you gave up, how you even gonna think to fight me? Bullshit boy,” Chimaev asked with a series of crying laughing emoji beside his rhetorical question.

Khamzat Chimaev Continues Trolling Muhammad

This was among many other shots Chimaev launched Muhammad’s way in yesterday’s Twitter barrage.

Belal Muhammad Fires Back

Not one to stand idly by and get bullied, @bullyb170 clapped back.

“Didn’t You retire because you had a cold? Don’t worry Friend I got some nyquil for you,” Muhammad posted prior to the following barrage of his own:

Seeds Planted For Potential Welterweight Showdown?

The only fight that Belal Muhammad did not win in his last seven fights was against Leon Edwards in March, a fight Chimaev referenced in one of his memes. The bout was ruled a no-contest when Muhammad was unable to continue following a gruesome accidental eye poke from Edwards in the second round.

Khamzat Chimaev has been on the hunt for his next opponent ever since making easy work of Li Jingliang at UFC 267. Both he and Dana White have been very public about the struggles they’ve faced in finding a willing opponent for the rising star.

Chimaev’s Twitter exchange with Muhammad could be planting the seeds for a 2022 collision between the two welterweights. Or, it could merely be trash-talking done just to pass the time with no UFC fights on the horizon for the MMA community anytime soon.

Friday morning, Chimaev dropped yet another meme of Muhammad for good measure, this time of a more festive nature.

Do you believe Belal Muhammad vs. Khamzat Chimaev is the fight to make?

Continue Reading Chimaev & Muhammad Engage In Drawn-Out Twitter Battle at MMA News.

Muhammad Thinks Beating Chimaev Is “Worth More” Than Any Ranked Win

Belal Muhammad isn’t shying away from a possible fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

Belal Muhammad is coming off what was arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated former title challenger Stephen Thompson last weekend and now has his eyes set on…

Belal Muhammad Khamzat Chimeav

Belal Muhammad isn’t shying away from a possible fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

Belal Muhammad is coming off what was arguably the biggest win of his career. He defeated former title challenger Stephen Thompson last weekend and now has his eyes set on a title shot.

Muhammad believes he could be next for champion Kamaru Usman following the win and his most recent bump up the rankings. However, if that title shot doesn’t come right away, Muhammad has another plan to get him there.

Khamzat Chimaev
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Muhammad thinks that a win over streaking Khamzat Chimaev would get him the momentum he needs to vie for the welterweight title. He explained his rationale to MMA Junkie.

“He has the most hype in the division right now,” Muhammad said of Chimaev. “He has that (Conor) McGregor X-factor stardom right now, where the fans think he’s untouchable. The boss thinks he’s untouchable. They all think it’s just a matter of time before he becomes champion.

“So for me, if I beat him, I steal all of his hype, and I think it’s worth more than beating anybody ranked in the division. Beating him is probably worth more than beating Colby Covington just because of all the hype he has right now.”

It is true that Chimaev has a lot of hype surrounding him. He made a splash in the UFC when he won two fights back to back on Fight Island during the summer of 2020. He is now 4-0 in the UFC and undefeated as a professional. He is a fan favorite, and it seems like he is a favorite of Dana White as well. White has been high on Chimaev and has even expressed that no other fighter wants to fight him.

“So in this game, it’s about momentum, it’s about hype, and it’s about who’s hot right now. He’s the hottest right now,” Muhammad said. “So beating him, I steal all that shine. I steal all that heat, so why wouldn’t I?”

Muhammad isn’t the only man with this idea, Neil Magny has been asking for a shot at Chimaev as well. On the flip side, Chimaev has been asking for a shot at a ranked opponent. Muhammad is now sitting in the #5 spot in the rankings. If he wants to fight Chimaev, it seems likely that fight can be made.

Do you think Belal Muhammad fighting Khamzat Chimaev is a good idea?

Continue Reading Muhammad Thinks Beating Chimaev Is “Worth More” Than Any Ranked Win at MMA News.

UFC Rankings Report: Muhammad Cracks Top 5, LW Gets New Face

The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC Vegas 45, and we’ve got the full report for you below!

Men’s Pound for Pound: No Changes

Women’s Pound for Pound: Lauren Murphy (#13) and Mackenzie Dern (#14) swap positions.

Strawweight: Follo…

Belal Muhammad

The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC Vegas 45, and we’ve got the full report for you below!

Men’s Pound for Pound: No Changes

Women’s Pound for Pound: Lauren Murphy (#13) and Mackenzie Dern (#14) swap positions.

Strawweight: Following Claudia Gadelha’s retirement, Tecia Torres (#7), Michelle Waterson (#8), Amanda Ribas (#9), Amanda Lemos (#10), and Virna Jandiroba (#11) each moved up. At the bottom of the rankings, Jessica Penne (#13) and Brianna Van Buren (#14) move up one position, and Luana Pinheiro (#15) debuts in the rankings.

Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araujo (#6) and Joanne Wood (#7) swap positions, as do Jessica Eye (#9) and Cynthia Calvillo (#10).

Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington (#7) and Miesha Tate (#8) swap places after Pennington’s submission victory over Macy Chiasson at UFC Vegas 45. 

Submission! Watch Raquel Pennington tap Macy Chiasson with slick guillotine - UFC Vegas 45 - MMAmania.com

Women’s Featherweight: N/A 

Flyweight: Amir Albazi moves up two positions to #11 while Tim Elliott (#12) and Sumudaerji (#13) drop one spot.

Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley moves up one spot to #12, and Ricky Simon’s KO victory over Raphael Assuncao has Simon appearing in the rankings at #13 and Assuncao falling three positions down to #15. 

UFC Vegas 45 video: Ricky Simon scores vicious knockout of Raphael Assuncao, calls out Sean O'Malley - MMA Fighting
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Featherweight: No Changes

Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot debuts at #12 in the rankings following his TKO victory over Diego Ferreira at UFC Vegas 45. Because of the loss, Ferreira drops three spots down to #15. 

UFC Vegas 45: Mateusz Gamrot stops Diego Ferreira With Knee To Ribs
Mateusz Gamrot def. Diego Ferreira, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Welterweight: Belal Muhammad is now ranked #5 after his dominant victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC Vegas 45. The loss drops Thompson two spots down to #7. Meanwhile, due to Muhammad’s ascension, Neil Magny (#8), Sean Brady (#9), and Michael Chiesa (#10) each fall back one position.

Middleweight: Kevin Holland (#14) and Chris Weidman swap places yet again. Though it should be noted that Holland has decided to make a move down to welterweight henceforth. 

Light Heavyweight: No Changes

Heavyweight: The rankings remain the same following Derrick Lewis’(#3) first-round KO of Chris Daukaus (#7) at UFC Vegas 45. 

You can view the full updated UFC rankings here. 

What are your thoughts on these updates to the UFC rankings following UFC Vegas 45?

Continue Reading UFC Rankings Report: Muhammad Cracks Top 5, LW Gets New Face at MMA News.

Stephen Thompson Releases Apologetic Statement Following Loss

Stephen Thompson is sending a message to his fans following his recent loss to Belal Muhammad.

The welterweight division might have a new contender in the mix. On Saturday night, Belal Muhammad defeated former title contender Stephen Thompson. Muha…

Stephen Thompson

Stephen Thompson is sending a message to his fans following his recent loss to Belal Muhammad.

The welterweight division might have a new contender in the mix. On Saturday night, Belal Muhammad defeated former title contender Stephen Thompson. Muhammad won by unanimous decision and solidified his place as a force in the division.

As for Thompson, it is unclear where he will go following the loss. Sunday, he released a statement to his fans about his latest performance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CXsFZdFKKS4/

“I want to apologize to my coaches, my family, and my fans for my performance,” Thompson wrote. “I’m motivated not broken.”

This is the second loss in a row for Thompson and the fourth out of his last six fights. Prior to the loss, Thompson was sitting in the #5 spot of the rankings. He will most likely move further down the list and further away from another title shot.

Thompson is 38 years old and has been fighting professionally since 2010. It seems retirement is far from his mind considering his “motivated” statement. Despite the setback, Thompson will continue to fight in the UFC as long as he can. He spoke recently in an interview about wanting to be the oldest fighter on the UFC roster.

“I want to break records, man. I wanna be the oldest guy who ever fought in the UFC. They are going to have to bring out a senior division or something,” he said. “It’s the plan. I will do this as long as my body will let me or when my dad says I’m done.”

When Thompson finally decides to hang up his gloves, he will have plenty of other opportunities. He is a martial arts teacher for children at his family gym and has recently been involved in the Netflix Cobra Kai series.

Who do you want to see Stephen Thompson fight next after his UFC Vegas 45 loss?

Continue Reading Stephen Thompson Releases Apologetic Statement Following Loss at MMA News.

Muhammad Reveals Racial Abuse In UFC Apex During Wonderboy Fight

In the aftermath of his impressive co-main event victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC Vegas 45 this past weekend, Belal Muhammad revealed the racism he’d been subjected to by a member of the Apex crowd.

After his first opportunity to break into the…

Belal Muhammad

In the aftermath of his impressive co-main event victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC Vegas 45 this past weekend, Belal Muhammad revealed the racism he’d been subjected to by a member of the Apex crowd.

After his first opportunity to break into the welterweight elite ended in disaster thanks to an inadvertent eye poke at the hands of top-five contender Leon Edwards in March, Muhammad had his second chance to do so at the final UFC event of 2021. Opposite him in the Octagon was perennial contender and two-time title challenger, “Wonderboy.”

Following a similar blueprint to Gilbert Burns, who defeated Thompson earlier this year, Muhammad imposed his will, consistently taking the 38-year-old down and delivering damage on the ground and against the fence. After 15 minutes of control and dominance, “Remember The Name” took home a unanimous decision victory and will be ascended further up the division when the next rankings update arrives.

While he secured the win and established himself as a real contender at 170 pounds, the night wasn’t without some disappointment for Muhammad.

Muhammad: “It Was Some Drunk Hick”

Since introducing small crowds at the Apex, the facility that allowed the UFC to continue hosting events throughout the pandemic, the atmosphere has increased and provided a better feeling to Fight Nights. But on Saturday, not everyone let through the door behaved appropriately.

During his Octagon interview with Michael Bisping, Muhammad addressed someone in the audience who’d seemingly been sending abuse his way during his three-round fight with Thompson. During the post-fight press conference, the 33-year-old expanded on the racism he was subjected to from a “drunk hick” outside the Octagon.

“He was screaming out like, it was some drunk hick or something like that, screaming out racist Arabic words and stuff like that. I was just like, ‘Wonderboy, are these your boys?’ And he’s like, ‘Nah, nah, they ain’t my boys.’ I was like, ‘Alright, cool,’ and kept punching him again. It’s a small Apex, so you hear everything, and it was just weird. I was like, ‘Alright, I can see who you are.’ So I’m about to catch him on the Strip later today.”

There is certainly no room for racism in MMA, or any sport for that matter, not least when an athlete is putting their body on the line to entertain you. Given the size of the crowd and Muhammad’s knowledge of which individual used the terms, it shouldn’t be hard for the UFC to take action.

Should the abusive audience member be banned from the Apex for life?

Continue Reading Muhammad Reveals Racial Abuse In UFC Apex During Wonderboy Fight at MMA News.