LAS VEGAS – Belal Muhammad wants his name in the UFC welterweight title mix after earning the biggest win of his career.
Muhammad (20-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) earned a dominant decision over Stephen Thompson (16-6-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) in this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 199 co-main event and thinks it’s time he was considered in the title conversation.
Unbeaten in his past seven fights, Muhammad thinks his performance should leapfrog him over Leon Edwards for a shot at champion Kamaru Usman (19-1 MMA, 14-0 UFC).
“Who’s ever beaten ‘Wonderboy’ 30-26? Who’s ever beaten ‘Wonderboy’ in that style?” Muhammad told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at a post-fight news conference. “Nobody’s ever beaten him in that way, and ‘Wonderboy’s’ fought for the title twice, Demian Maia’s fought for the title twice, and I beat both of those guys in dominant fashion. So you’re telling me Leon Edwards deserves it over me, and he almost got knocked out by Nate Diaz? Nate Diaz didn’t lose that fight because Nate Diaz never loses a fight.
“But the way I just beat ‘Wonderboy,’ nobody’s ever done that to him. Even Gilbert Burns beat him dominantly, but it wasn’t like that. I deserve that title shot next because my streak is as long as Leon’s streak, and Leon’s already lost to Usman, so let’s stop with these rematches. Let’s stop with, ‘Oh he beat Colby twice, he beat Masvidal twice, and now he’s the GOAT.’ No, give him new blood. Give him a new look.”
Muhammad fought Edwards in his first UFC headliner last March. An inadvertent eye poke by Edwards in the opening seconds of Round 2 rendered Muhammad unable to continue and, as a result, the fight was ruled a no contest. Muhammad called for a rematch on numerous occasions, but Edwards didn’t seem too interested.
Now both men are vying for a shot at gold.
Belal Muhammad states case to fight Kamaru Usman after big win: ‘Give him new blood’