Alan Jouban vs Belal Muhammad: What happened when the UFC analysts fought at UFC Fight Night 90?
Newly retired UFC welterweight and analyst Alan Jouban has given some memorable performances during his seven-year tenure with the promotion. Jouban's three-round slugfest with Belal Muhammad can easily be summarized as the pinnacle of his fighting career. 'Brahma' and Belal Muhammad put on a fight-of-the-night performance at UFC Fight Night 90: Dos Anjos vs Alvarez in July 2016. Jouban won the fight via unanimous decision and both fighters won a $50,000 bonus for their efforts on the night.
Fresh off a TKO win over Brendan O'Reilly, Alan Jouban (17-7 MMA, 8-5 UFC) was expected to fight Nordine Taleb at UFC Fight Night 90 on July 7, 2016. Taleb pulled out of the fight citing an injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Belal Muhammad (18-3-1NC MMA, 9-3-1NC UFC). Jouban handed Belal Muhammad the first professional loss of his MMA career. The former came close to finishing the fight on more than two occasions, but Muhammad made it to the final bell through sheer willpower.
Belal Muhammad trained for the Alan Jouban fight while observing Ramadan
Even in the loss, Belal Muhammad was able to put on a competitive fight against Alan Jouban on the biggest mixed martial arts stage in the world. His performance was splendid, considering it took place a day after the holy month of Ramadan ended in 2016.
Most MMA fighters adhering to Islam refrain from fighting during Ramadan. Muslims who observe the holy month refrain from eating and drinking water throughout the day, severely affecting training.
However, Belal Muhammad has prepared for his fights while observing the holy month four separate times in his UFC career. His training camp for fights against Alan Jouban, Jordan Mein, Chance Rencountre and former Bellator welterweight champion Lyman Good coincided with the holy month of Ramadan.
In a 2018 interview with Flo Combat, Belal Muhammad stated that training without water or food during the holy month has made him mentally strong and elevated his game.