Belal Muhammad reacts to Ilia Topuria's "fake champion" comment, says 'El Matador' hasn't earned Islam Makhachev fight
Belal Muhammad has found himself at the center of attention lately, engaging in a fiery back-and-forth with several fighters while defending his status as the UFC welterweight champion. Prominent stars, including Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor, have taken jabs at Muhammad's recent ascent to championship status.
Muhammad retaliated by mocking Topuria's claims and referencing the "fake BMF" belt that the UFC featherweight champion has been walking around with ahead of his fight against Max Holloway at UFC 308. Topuria fired back, highlighting the alleged lack of finishes on Muhammad's record. The 36-year-old is scheduled to defend his welterweight throne against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.
In a recent Instagram Live session, Topuria labeled Muhammad a "fake champion." He also insinuated that Kamaru Usman would reclaim the welterweight title, dismissing Muhammad's legitimacy in the division.
Muhammad fired back at those comments in a recent interview with Submission Radio. He claimed that Topuria sparked the rivalry with his comments on Islam Makhachev while sizing up a potential clash against the UFC lightweight champion. He said:
"Ilia was coming at Islam [Makhachev]. And I said, 'Be careful what you say to Islam and these guys in Dagestan. They don't play.'... He's [Topuria] trying to make noise, he's trying to be that [bad] guy."
He further shed light on whether Topuria has earned a shot against Makhachev and said:
"It's stupid, right? You haven't earned it. You've had one fight against [Alexander] Volkanovski [and] he's going to get a rematch. So first, you got to get past Max, then Volk, and you got Movsar [Evloev]. He's undefeated and looking good with every fight."
Catch Belal Muhammad's comments below (5:00):
Belal Muhammad claims Shavkat Rakhmonov is yet to encounter adversity in the UFC
Belal Muhammad is gearing up for his title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Muhammad, who recently claimed the welterweight championship at UFC 304 with a unanimous decision win over Leon Edwards, viewed Rakhmonov's undefeated record with skepticism. He believes Rakhmonov has yet to face an opponent who can push him to his limits.
The 36-year-old acknowledged his opponent's aggressive fighting style and resilience but insisted that his grit and ability to adapt will be crucial in this matchup. Previewing the upcoming fight in an interview with MMA Junkie, Muhammad said:
"I don't think that he's really had to face that type of adversity in the UFC yet. He really hasn't. He's always been in the lead. Now he's going to be falling behind. Now you're going to be getting to later rounds. Now when it starts getting tougher and you can't breathe, and you're getting tired and this is not working, and that's not working, how do you make your adjustments?"
Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below (6:30):