UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad dismisses the idea of a fight with Ilia Topuria, who competes two weight classes below him, and expects Max Holloway to defeat Topuria in their upcoming bout.
Belal Muhammad, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, is known for his fearless attitude. However, he’s not interested in fighting someone two weight classes below him. Recently, a verbal spat with Ilia Topuria caught Muhammad’s attention.
Topuria, the UFC featherweight champ, made bold claims about challenging Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound title. This sparked a social media back-and-forth between him and Muhammad. Topuria even expressed ambitions of becoming a three-division champion, which would mean facing Muhammad at welterweight.
Muhammad had some fun with the banter but isn’t taking it seriously. “I think that dude’s got Napoleon syndrome or something,” he quipped to MMA Fighting. Short guys often try to act tough, he mused.
He believes Topuria is trying too hard to be a trash talker. “It’s laughable,” Muhammad noted, suggesting Topuria’s words are just copied from memes. Before dreaming of multi-division glory, Topuria needs to focus on his upcoming fight against Max Holloway at UFC 308.
Even if Topuria wins, moving up to challenge Makhachev is a long shot. Packing on 25 pounds to reach welterweight? Not likely. Muhammad isn’t losing sleep over this challenge.
“We’re not going to fight in the cage,” Muhammad pointed out. It’s all talk without real intent. He doubts Topuria will even get past Holloway. “I think he’s going to lose this fight,” he predicted bluntly.
On Saturday, Muhammad will be cheering for Holloway—not just hoping for an upset but expecting it. “Skill-wise, Max will beat him,” he stated confidently. Holloway’s height and boxing prowess pose a unique threat.
Topuria has faced shorter opponents before; Holloway’s different. His chin is legendary. By the later rounds, Muhammad believes Topuria will struggle to keep up with Holloway’s relentless pace.
Recalling Topuria’s fatigue in the Emmett fight, Muhammad foresees trouble. With Holloway’s high volume and improved power, “Max will put his lights out,” he concluded with certainty.