'You really doubted me?" - Belal Muhammad reveals he has asked for a fight with Khamzat Chimaev in January
Belal Muhammad has asserted that he has asked for a fight against Khamzat Chimaev. Muhammad revealed that he’s open to fighting ‘The Chechen Wolf’ in January of 2022.
Taking to his official Twitter account, the longtime UFC welterweight competitor posted a tweet that contained a screenshot of his chat with his manager Ali Abdelaziz. In their conversation, Belal Muhammad told Abdelaziz that he’s willing to fight Khamzat Chimaev next January. 'Bully B' tagged UFC commentator Jon Anik in the tweet and noted:
"You really doubted me @Jon_Anik"
Belal Muhammad’s message to Ali Abdelaziz – as displayed in the screenshot – read as follows:
“I’ll also be down for Chimaev in Jan too.”
You really doubted me @Jon_Anik https://t.co/SrzjNtczHY
Khamzat Chimaev is widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the sport of mixed martial arts today. The 27-year-old Chechnya-born Swedish fighter is revered for his grappling skills and terrifying KO power.
Chimaev has earned widespread praise for masterfully adapting his freestyle wrestling skills to the MMA realm. Since his UFC debut last July, ‘Borz’ has impressively secured four consecutive stoppage victories.
Meanwhile, Belal Muhammad has competed in the UFC since 2016. ‘Bully B’ had recently managed to garner significant momentum with a string of brilliant performances inside the octagon. However, an NC (No Contest), in a fight where he suffered an eye poke at the hands of Leon Edwards earlier this year seemingly slowed down Muhammad’s momentum.
Regardless, the Chicago native returned to his winning ways, beating Demian Maia via unanimous decision at UFC 263 in June this year.
The stakes would be high in a potential Belal Muhammad vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight
Reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is set to defend his title in a rematch against Colby Covington at UFC 268 on November 6th. Meanwhile, the rest of the division’s top contenders are either coming off a defeat or have already been booked in other fights.
Moreover, the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev secured the biggest win of his career thus far at UFC 267 on October 30th. He dominated and submitted the always-dangerous Li Jingliang in round one of their fight. Many have been captivated by Chimaev’s exciting fighting style and his near-perfect performances.
With hordes of MMA fans demanding that Khamzat Chimaev ought to be granted a UFC welterweight title shot, another huge win over a veteran like Muhammad would surely solidify Chimaev’s place in the division’s title picture.
Alternatively, should Belal Muhammad defeat Khamzat Chimaev, he’d become the first fighter to do so in the sport of MMA. Beating Chimaev could also land ‘Bully B’ a title shot sooner rather than later. Whether or not a possible Muhammad-Chimaev matchup comes to fruition is likely to be revealed in the days to come.