Ilia Topuria and Belal Muhammad are stirring things up in the world of MMA. Despite being champions in different weight classes, they’ve found themselves at odds. This unexpected beef has caught the attention of fans and pundits alike.
Topuria holds the title in the UFC featherweight division, while Muhammad is the reigning welterweight champion. You might think these two wouldn’t cross paths much, given their weight difference. However, they’ve been trading shots on social media, showing that rivalry knows no boundaries.
In just a few weeks, Topuria is set to make his first title defence. He took to Instagram Live recently, and it didn’t take long for him to target Muhammad. Speaking about Muhammad’s upcoming title defence against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, Topuria had some strong opinions.
“Belal vs. Shavkat? Shavkat,” Topuria declared. “Belal, he’s a fake champ. He’s a fake. I think right now in the welterweight division, the one who will come back and take the belt again is Kamaru Usman, in my opinion. Easy work for Usman.”
Ilia Topuria and Belal Muhammad Clash in Social Media Battle
Muhammad, who captured the welterweight title by defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304, didn’t take Topuria’s comments lightly. Edwards had previously dethroned Usman and successfully defended the title against him in their rematch last year.
Responding to Topuria’s jab, Muhammad fired back on Twitter, comparing Topuria to a well-known figure in the sport.
“Didn’t this dork just buy a fake ‘BMF’ belt to pose with… he’s starting to become the Georgian version of Colby Covington,” Muhammad wrote.
This tweet set off a back-and-forth exchange between the two champions. They took turns roasting each other, showcasing their verbal sparring skills.
“Belal ‘Crotch Sniffer’ Muhammad,” Topuria shot back, followed by a list of mock accusations:
“NO FINISHES
NO KNOCKOUTS
NO KNOCKDOWNS
NO GIRLFRIEND
NO KIDS
BELAL HAS NEVER FINISHED ANY MAN OR WOMAN.”
Exchange Continues
Muhammad didn’t back down, responding with a light-hearted jab: “Now you’re just copying stuff word for word off memes. [Laughing emoji].”
In other circumstances, this feud might lay the groundwork for a champion vs. champion showdown. However, with the significant weight difference, that seems unlikely for now. Instead, it looks like we have a classic rivalry brewing, one fueled by good old-fashioned banter.
Both fighters have important matches on the horizon, keeping them focused. Topuria will defend his featherweight title against Max Holloway at UFC 308 on October 26 in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Muhammad will put his welterweight belt on the line against Rakhmonov at UFC 310 on December 7 in Las Vegas.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
