Belal Muhammad isn’t buying into Ilia Topuria’s ambitions of becoming a three-division UFC champion. The UFC welterweight champion took a lighthearted jab at Topuria’s bold claims and made it clear he finds the idea far-fetched.
Topuria, currently the UFC featherweight champion, is gearing up for a big challenge as he defends his title for the first time against Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 308, set to take place in Abu Dhabi this weekend. While his focus is on Holloway, “El Matador” has made headlines recently with talk of wanting to capture titles in multiple weight classes.
But Belal Muhammad isn’t convinced.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Muhammad poked fun at Topuria’s aspirations, attributing them to what he jokingly called “Napoleon syndrome.”
Belal Muhammad Shoots Down Ilia Topuria’s Three Division Champion Calls
“I think that dude’s got Napoleon syndrome or something,” Muhammad said. “Short guys always act like they’re tough.”
Muhammad’s comments seem to stem from a back-and-forth between him and Topuria after the featherweight champ took aim at UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Muhammad, who has strong ties to Makhachev, didn’t appreciate Topuria’s remarks, especially since the Georgian-Spanish fighter has yet to deal with the likes of Holloway.
“I said, bro, he needs to focus on Holloway, who’s in front of him,” Muhammad explained, “You don’t want to disrespect the guys from Dagestan because they see you in person, they’re going to slap you. They don’t play the trash talk game. It’s real life to them.”
Topuira’s Sights Set on Islam Makhachev
Muhammad believes Topuria’s decision to target Makhachev might be an attempt to craft a tough-guy image. However, he feels that Topuria’s efforts at trash-talking come off as forced and unnatural:
“I think he took offense to it. He’s at that mode where I think he’s trying to find himself and he’s trying to show fans that he’s a trash talker and this bad guy,” Muhammad said. “He’s not really good at trash talking. When he comes at me, it’s laughable because he’s basically copying words off memes.”
Muhammad’s connection with Makhachev makes Topuria’s recent comments particularly irksome for him. Topuria, confident in his abilities, has even suggested that he will be the first fighter to submit the dominant UFC lightweight champion.
That kind of talk hasn’t sat well with Muhammad, who views Makhachev as nearly untouchable at 155 pounds. He sees Topuria’s comments as not just unrealistic but also disrespectful, particularly considering the task ahead of him in Holloway, one of the UFC’s most seasoned and respected fighters.
Muhammad Isn’t Sold on Moving Up Divisions
Despite Topuria’s growing star power and his successful run at featherweight, Muhammad isn’t sold on the idea of him moving up in weight to conquer other divisions. He made it clear that before any talk of challenging Makhachev or aiming for three titles, Topuria should focus on what’s immediately in front of him: his fight with Holloway.
What do you make of Belal Muhammad’s comments? Let us know in the comments!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
