Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad said he wants to fight UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, whom he called a “clown.”
Strickland beat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 to capture the middleweight title in a close fight that went the distance. The lead-up to the bout was heated, as both men traded barbs against each other on social media and in the press conference before the bout, culminating with Chimaev kicking Strickland just two days before they were set to step into the cage. Chimaev took offense to Strickland bringing up his religion in his trash talk, though Strickland admitted after the bout was over that he was just trying to sell the fight and make it bigger for the fans.
That might be the case, but one of the sport’s top fighters isn’t having any of it.
Belal Muhammad Wants to Fight Sean Strickland
Speaking on his YouTube channel while breaking down how the fight played out, Muhammad said he was very upset that Strickland talked about Chimaev’s religion and said that he wants to make him pay for it.
“I’m not excited to see Strickland talk. Because I will say this, even with the clown apologizing, ‘I apologize to my Muslim fans, I was just promoting a fight…’ Nah, it’s not promoting a fight when you’re talking about religion. He always plays that role of saying stupid stuff, and then afterward saying, ‘I love this guy, this guy’s the best, blah blah blah.’ No. When you talk about religion, when you talk about family, it hits different. I hope to one day step in the cage with that clown before it’s all said and done, and make him bleed,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad said he wants to fight Strickland and “make the clown bleed”.
(via @bullyb170)
Belal Muhammad Fights Against Gabriel Bonfim Next Month
Muhammad steps back into the Octagon on June 6 when he takes on Gabriel Bonfim in the main event of UFC Vegas 118. For Muhammad, this is a must-win fight if he is going to remain as one of the welterweight division’s top-10-ranked fighters. After winning the UFC welterweight title from Leon Edwards in July 2024, Muhammad has lost his last two fights since then, dropping decisions to Jack Della Maddalena and Ian Machado Garry. While he was competitive in each of those bouts, he still lost them both, and he badly needs to get back into the win column in his next fight.
Of course, this fight with Bonfim is not going to be easy, as the younger Brazilian fighter is one of the top up-and-coming talents in the UFC welterweight division, so Muhammad is going to have to weather the early storm in this five-round bout and outlast the powerful Bonfim if he’s going to get the win. But should Muhammad get his hand raised, it will keep him in the top 10 of the UFC welterweight division and keep him in the mix for a welterweight belt. In the future, we may get to see him move up to middleweight and fight Strickland and make him bleed, like he suggested he would, but for now, Muhammad is a welterweight.
Belal Muhammad Wants to Fight ‘Clown’ Sean Strickland