All articles tagged with #belal muhammad
Belal Muhammad agrees with Dana White that Ian Machado Garry lacked killer instinct in his title fight loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 330, criticizing Garry’s apparent 'hugging' and failure to seize momentum in the fifth round despite a close, two-round tie on the cards; Garry earned his title shot by defeating Muhammad earlier at UFC Fight Night 265.
Belal Muhammad, who has trained with Islam Makhachev and faced Ian Machado Garry before, predicts Makhachev will cut off Garry's space, wear him down with pressure and grappling, and likely secure a late submission in the fourth or fifth round at UFC 330, despite Garry's movement and counters.
Colby Covington, furious after a post-fight melee with Belal Muhammad at RAF 11, labeled Muhammad an 'unprofessional little clown' and said he may pull their RAF 12 matchup in favor of a tougher opponent, though he’ll let fans decide if the fight goes ahead. Muhammad won at RAF 11, and Covington warned the incident could derail the event while insisting he’s willing to fight if the public demands it.
Ben Askren returned to combat sports a year after his double lung transplant, losing 6-3 to Belal Muhammad at Real American Freestyle; ESPN noted he started strong but fatigued late, and he symbolically left his shoes on the mat after retiring from the bout. This was his first action since a 2021 Jake Paul boxing loss, and he finishes with a 19-2 MMA record (31-11 freestyle) and two-time Missouri national wrestling titles.
Colby Covington defeated Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 11 to win the promotion's crossover championship and will defend the title against Belal Muhammad at RAF 12 in Cleveland on August 22, with Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs set to headline against Sean Brady.
At RAF11, Colby Covington defeated Arman Tsarukyan to hand him his first loss since 2022, while Belal Muhammad rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Ben Askren. After the event, Muhammad and Covington traded trash talk and escalated into a physical altercation on stage, though officials restrained them and the conference concluded without further incident.
Belal Muhammad defeated Ben Askren by decision at RAF 11 in Askren’s final fight; Askren, who had returned from serious health issues including pneumonia and a lung transplant, fought a measured defense but faded late, leading to Muhammad’s win and Askren’s retirement after the bout.
Chael Sonnen says he feels uncomfortable about Ben Askren’s planned return to competition at RAF 11 against Belal Muhammad, coming less than a year after Askren’s life-saving double-lung transplant; Muhammad vows to fight to win, while others like Joe Rogan have voiced concerns.
Chael Sonnen says Ben Askren’s return at RAF 11 makes him uncomfortable, though he credits Belal Muhammad for stepping up to the fight and highlights the broader significance of Askren’s health comeback in MMA.
Belal Muhammad posted an upbeat Instagram message after a lopsided loss to Gabriel Bonfim in the UFC Vegas 118 main event, marking his third straight setback in the octagon; he thanked supporters, reflected on the journey and lessons, and said he’ll be back, while also congratulating friend Brendan Allen on his win over Edmen Shahbazyan in the co-main event.
Gabriel Bonfim defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision in the UFC Vegas 118 main event at the APEX, capitalizing on a breakout performance as Muhammad’s slide continued. The rest of the main card saw Brendan Allen beat Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision, Tom Nolan edge Fares Ziam, and Bryce Mitchell submit Santiago Luna. The prelims featured Iwo Baraniewski’s TKO of Junior Tafa, Alessandro Costa’s first‑round TKO of Matt Schnell, Marcus McGhee’s decision over John Yannis, Edgar Chairez’s submission of Bruno Silva, Chelsea Chandler’s arm‑bar win over Priscila Cachoeira, Joanderson Brito’s finish of Jordan Leavitt, Jeisla Chaves’s split decision over Yuneisy Duben, and Ketlen Souza’s early KO of Arianne Carnelossi among others, highlighting a night of multiple finishes.
Gabriel Bonfim defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision (50-45 on all cards) in UFC Vegas 118, signaling a shift in the welterweight title picture. The Las Vegas card featured notable wins across middleweight, lightweight and bantamweight divisions, and the article outlines upcoming matchups for the main-card winners to capitalize on the event's momentum.
Live updates from UFC Fight Night 278 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas: Belal Muhammad vs. Gabriel Bonfim headlines the card on Paramount+, with several undercard finishes including Ketlen Souza KOing Ariane Carnelossi, Chelsea Chandler submitting Priscila Cachoeira, Joanderson Brito submitting Jordan Leavitt, and Jeisla Chaves earning a split decision over Yuneisy Duben; the event airs on Paramount+.
Former UFC welterweight champion Ben Askren returns to competition after a life-saving double lung transplant, set to face Belal Muhammad at RAF 11 on July 18 in Milwaukee, where Askren has served as a promoter/matchmaker; Muhammad seeks his first RAF win while also fighting in UFC Vegas 118 this weekend.
Belal Muhammad predicted Carlos Prates would beat Jack Della Maddalena by leveraging Prates' kicking game, and he was right as Prates used timely leg kicks and varied offense to stop Maddalena in UFC Perth. Islam Makhachev congratulated Prates, and Maddalena faces an unclear path after back-to-back losses to Makhachev and Prates.