Belal Muhammad set to face former welterweight title contender in quick return fight at UFC 263
Belal Muhammad is set to face former title challenger Demian Maia at UFC 263 in a welterweight fight. After the controversial end to his recent main event fight against Leon Edwards, Muhammad was aiming for a quick turnaround and now seems to have gotten his wish.
According to a report from ESPN's Brett Okamoto, Belal Muhammad and Demian Maia will face-off at the UFC 263 pay-per-view. Submission specialist Maia will mark his return to the Octagon for the first time since March 2020.
Here is the report from Brett Okamoto:
In his last fight, Maia suffered a first-round loss to fellow Brazilian Gilbert Burns. Maia's last win in the UFC was over Ben Askren in 2019, the same year the Brazilian had three overall wins by defeating Anthony Rocco Martin and Lyman Good.
Over the past few years, Maia has shared the Octagon against the likes of Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley and even Jorge Masvidal - fighters recognized as the top dogs in the UFC's welterweight division.
Belal Muhammad will hope to put away a veteran and climb the welterweight rankings
Compared to Demian Maia's run in the UFC, Belal Muhammad is relatively inexperienced and is still looking to solidify his status as a top contender in the welterweight division. Bully B has already stepped into the Octagon on two occasions this year, with Muhammad's first fight ending on a victorious note against Dhiego Lima.
Muhammad himself has notable wins over the likes of Lyman Good, Takashi Sato and Curtis Millender. However, in his most recent Octagon outing, Belal was the victim of a brutal eye poke incident, courtesy of Leon Edwards.
With the main event bout between Belal Muhammad and Leon Edwards ending in a No Contest, the former will look for redemption when he steps into the Octagon against submission ace Maia.
As things stand, the UFC is yet to announce a location or venue for the UFC 263 pay-per-view. However, the pay-per-view is scheduled for June 12 and is likely to be headlined by UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo defending his title against Brandon Moreno in a highly-awaited rematch.