After Saturday night’s dominant title win, Belal Muhammad made history by becoming the first UFC champion from Chicago, Illinois. Muhammad is also the first fighter of Palestinian descent to win a world title in the UFC. Leon Edwards entered UFC 304’s main event as a 3-1 betting favorite. With Edwards riding an 11-fight win streak and fighting in his native country of England, many dismissed Muhammad’s chances. It was a long road to the title for the 36-year-old veteran who had to overcome eye pokes, young contenders, and camp changes on his way to championship gold.
First fight with Leon Edwards and Khabib Influence
Muhammad and Edwards previously met before Saturday night in a fight that ended in one of the worst eye pokes in recent memory. Many analysts put a significant amount of stock into the first fight, thinking Edwards would have an advantage on the feet. Muhammad proved all doubters wrong at UFC 304 and walked down Edwards with tremendous pace and pressure. Muhammad showcased his well-rounded ability early in the fight rocking Edwards with an uppercut, before slamming him on his head against the cage (See Above).
A big reason for Muhammad’s success according to UFC president Dana White is his training with former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. At the UFC post-fight press conference Dana White stated “I know Belal’s been training with Khabib… so his performance is what you expect”. The grappling of Muhammad against the cage was excellent and led to many takedowns. Khabib was not in his corner in England but the effects of training with an all-time great has shown in Muhammad’s always-evolving game.
UFC 304 and Aftermath
From the opening bell, Muhammad came out as the more aggressive fighter, pressuring Edwards to fight against the cage off his back foot. The start time for this contest was around 4-5 am local time in Manchester, England. Although some suggest that the late start of time affected Edwards, it was Muhammad who had to overcome a time change when entering the country. Over 25 minutes Muhammad landed nine of thirteen takedowns. Not only did Belal Muhammad control the fight on the ground but the statistics for strikes were also staggering. According to ESPN Muhammad outlanded the former champion 192-89 in total strikes, and 68-47 in significant strikes. This was a monumental performance that made Muhammad next in a long line of Midwest welterweight champions.
Before Muhammad UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes was a longtime Welterweight champion. Hughes was from Hillsboro, Illinois, and one of the greatest fighters ever at 170 pounds. Years after Hughes’s reign at the top his pupil and Iowa native Robbie Lawler went on a destructive title run of his own. Belal Muhammad will look to follow in the same shoes as these great fighters and cement his legacy in the sport. In his first title defense, Muhammad may face undefeated finisher Shavkat Rahkmonov or heavy-handed Australian Jack Della Maddalena.
The UFC returns next weekend with a loaded fight night card from the Middle East. Cory Sandhagen faces Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event.
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