Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad said that he would welcome a fight against Mike Malott for his next matchup.
Muhammad has not fought since a decision loss to Gabriel Bonfim in June, his third straight defeat. But he remains one of the top-10 ranked welterweights, and he would be a step up in competition for Malott, who is 8-1 in the UFC and who has won five fights in a row after his brutal knee KO over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Edmonton.
While Muhammad still hopes he will get to fight former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman next, he’s more than willing to fight Malott if the Usman fight doesn’t pan out.
Belal Muhammad Open to Fighting Mike Malott
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Muhammad made it clear that he’s willing to fight Malott in his next fight, especially if Usman doesn’t pan out.
“The fight definitely makes sense. You know we want to fight (Kamaru) Usman, but I’m not gonna sit there and wait. If Usman’s not trying to go, then for sure Proper Mike Malott would definitely be a yes on my end,” Muhammad said.
“The fight definitely makes sense. You know we want to fight [Kamaru] Usman, but I’m not gonna sit there and wait.
If Usman’s not trying to go, then for sure Proper Mike Malott would definitely be a yes on my end.”
Belal Muhammad vs. Mike Malott Fight Makes Sense
In the most recently updated edition of the Meta UFC Rankings, Muhammad sits at No. 7, with Malott one spot back at No. 8. Therefore, this matchup makes a ton of sense, as it would pit two fighters sitting right beside each other in the rankings against one another.
Muhammad may have lost his last three fights, but he remains a highly ranked and respected welterweight who would be a good test for Malott because of his cardio, wrestling, and durability. At the same time, Malott is the ideal opponent for Muhammad to fight and prove that he can still hang with the up-and-comers in the weight class.
With UFC 336 set to take place in Malott’s home province of Ontario in January, it makes a ton of sense for the UFC to book Muhammad against Malott, especially if UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev defends his title against Carlos Prates in the main event of a welterweight-heavy card.
Belal Muhammad Welcomes Mike Malott UFC Fight