MMA
Who Could UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad Fight Next?
Discover the rise of Belal Muhammad, his journey to the UFC welterweight title, and potential matchups after a victory over Leon Edwards. Could a rematch with Edwards be on the cards, or could a fight against Kamaru Usman or rising star Shavkat Rakhmonov be next?
Image Credits: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
When Belal Muhammad defeated Leon “Rocky” Edwards in Manchester at UFC 304, it wasn't a huge shock in terms of the outcome but it was quite surprising given how dominant he looked on foreign soil.
“Remember The Name” silenced the British crowd as he completely outworked Edwards to claim the UFC welterweight championship. But now, what awaits the United Arab Emirates fighter in the coming months?
Belal Muhammad's Background and Fighting Style
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Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Muhammad has steadily climbed to the top of the UFC welterweight rankings through impressive victories over notable opponents such as Vicente Luque, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Sean Brady, Gilbert Burns and of course, defeating Edwards to claim the 170-pound title.
Muhammad is known for his relentless pace, excellent cardio, and well-rounded skill set, which has built him a reputation as one of the most durable fighters on the UFC roster. All of this was on full display as he won UFC gold for the very first time at UFC 304.
Over the last couple of years, Muhammad has been training with Khabib Nurmagomedov and other elite Dagestani fighters, and it's clear to see that the decision to team up with team Khabib has paid dividends. His game has elevated to another level as has his confidence.
The 36-year-old is riding a ten-fight win streak and is now ready to defend his welterweight belt for the very first time, but who could he face next?
Belal Muhammad's Next Opponent
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After his last performance in the octagon, it's easy to forget that Leon Edwards scored a devastating head kick to claim the title off Kamaru Usman, and then he proceeded to dominate Usman in his first defence before coasting past Colby Covington in his second defence.
Often, immediate rematches for titles are frowned upon but is Edwards worthy of an immediate rematch? In truth, it is difficult to judge the Birmingham native's performance at UFC 304 for a number of reasons: the fight was fought at almost 6am BST on the Sunday morning, ultimately affecting his body clock and energy levels. Also, there has been rumours circulating about Edwards possibly having a back muscle injury in the build-up to the fight. Either way, his performance on the night was lackluster and he rightfully lost his title.
A fighter that should be on everyone's radar at 170 pounds is Shavkat Rakhmanov. Rakhmonov is one of the fastest-rising stars in the entire UFC. If he continues his incredible 18-fight winning streak (6-0 in the UFC), a title fight against Muhammad would be highly anticipated, given Rakhmonov's finishing ability and undefeated record. The Kazakhstan fighter has finished all 18 of his fights; 8 knockouts and 10 submissions.
Perhaps a fight with the former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman could be on the cards. This fight would be particularly interesting as Usman was the reigning champion before Edwards and was on a journey to becoming one of the most dominant UFC champions in history, however, a brutal head kick from Edwards changed that back at UFC 278.
After his back-to-back defeats to Edwards, “The Nigerian Nightmare” jumped up to middleweight to challenge the rising star Khamzat Chimaev. Despite being physically mismatched, many people thought Usman did enough to claim victory over Chimaev, but he inevitably lost a majority decision over the Chechnyan fighter.
On the subject of Chimaev, he is another potential opponent if he jumps back down to the welterweight division. His hype and aggressive fighting style would make a matchup with Muhammad a huge draw. Additionally, with the two fighters being closely tied to the Middle East, it would be very interesting to see how it would play out in the build-up. However, given Chimaev's previous health issues, it would be an unlikely move for him to cut back down to 170lbs from 185lbs, especially given his top 15 ranking in middleweight.
Jake Staniland is a sports writer who excels in covering a wide range of sports: football, combat sports and the NFL - All three subjects are his lifelong passions.
Jake is a boyhood Sheffield United fan, which is often a curse that he thanks his family for. His favourite Blades player ever is Billy Sharp