Sean Strickland goes after essentially anyone he can on social media and in person, and it appears he has targeted welterweight title challenger Belal Muhammad. Strickland made fun of Muhammad and his Muslim heritage in an Instagram comment recently.
Sean Strickland Pokes Fun at Belal Muhammad With Poor Joke
Former welterweight Sean Strickland often goes after people that are not his potential opponents, Muhammad included. The two have a history of going back and forth and even met at the Apex in an awkward moment. On Thursday, Strickland posted an Instagram comment about Belal Muhammad and his Middle Eastern heritage, saying: “Belal looks like why I have to take my shoes off in airports…..”
Many fans criticized Strickland and his comment for being racist towards Middle Easterners, as Muhammad is an American citizen born to Palestinian parents. However, he has spent his whole life in the United States and graduated from Illinois University Urbana-Champaign, the flagship school commonly known as the University of Illinois.
Strickland’s comment rings extra hollow as the reason adults take shoes off in airports is due to the “Shoe Bomber”, a radicalized British national known as Richard Reid. He was detained after trying to blow himself up with plastic explosive in his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, but failed as his shoes were wet.
Muhammad Squares off Against Edwards
As for Muhammad, he has to stay even-keeled as he fights for his first title against welterweight champion Leon Edwards. The American is on a nine-fight win streak, and this bout is a rematch of the January 2021 main event that ended after Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye.
Recently, Muhammad claimed he had no desire to fight Islam Makachev should he move up to 170 and expressed his desire to go up to 185 after a few title defenses. However, he would have to get through Edwards first, who defeated Colby Covington in a domineering decision win his last time out.
If Muhammad were to move up, though, a fight with Strickland makes so much sense due to their personal history. However, stylistically, the fight seems slow and uninteresting, as both men are reactionary strikers.
All that is in the future, as this weekend, Muhammad and Edwards headline a card in Manchester, England, attended by Combat Sports UK staff from start to finish. It is sure to be a good one.
