UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad has revealed he has agreed to a fight with middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Muhammad made the claim on his X account on Wednesday to the shock of MMA fans.
Belal Muhammad vs Sean Strickland?
On his official X account, Muhammad simply wrote: “I said yes to Strickland.” The legitimacy of this claim is unclear at the moment, but UFC boss Dana White did confirm Muhammad has a fight booked. “Belal Muhammad has a fight,” said White after an episode of the Contender Series. “No I’m not going to tell you [who Muhammad is fighting]. Belal has a fight and we’ll announce it soon.”
Quotes credit to lowkickmma.com
Muhammad and the Welterweight Division
If a fight were to happen with Strickland, that of course would mean a move up for Muhammad. ‘Remember the Name’ is unbeaten in 10 fights at welterweight – nine wins and one no contest against champion Leon Edwards – but has been overlooked for a title fight at 170. Edwards will defend his belt against Colby Covington next, despite Muhammad’s solid claim that he should have been the one to fight ‘Rocky’.
Muhammad’s resume is improving all the time. With wins over the likes of Stephen Thompson, Sean Brady and Gilbert Burns, it’s understandable that he feels aggrieved. He is a tough opponent for anyone, and will surely fight the winner of Edwards and Covington if he stays in the welterweight division.
If his claim on X is to be believed though, it is possible that his patience has run out and he is ready for a change of scene. Muhammad’s next move is a mystery for now.
There are multiple possibilities alongside the Strickland fight. Compete against another welterweight contender or take on the UFC 296 main event winner. Whatever comes next for Muhammad, it’s undeniable that he is extremely close to UFC gold.
Do you think Muhammad moves up to middleweight to fight Strickland? Let us know in the comments.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
