Former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad had a long road to get to the title. He got a crack at the 170-pound championship after stringing together a nine-fight winning streak.
Muhammad captured the welterweight crown by defeating then-champion Leon Edwards at UFC 304 last July, but wasn’t able to successfully defend it. “Remember the Name” faced Jack Della Maddalena in his first title defense at UFC 315 in May and lost via unanimous decision.
Despite the short title reign, UFC insider Chael Sonnen doesn’t think Muhammad gets the credit that he deserves.
“Why does the whole world treat him like crap? What did Belal do to anybody,” Sonnen said during an interview with The Schmo.
“Half of the UFC, it’s divided in first floor and second floor. The guys on the second floor don’t like him. The guys on the first floor do like him. I don’t understand this. All Belal has ever done is fight the hardest guys, ask for opportunities and keep his mouth shut when it doesn’t go his way,” continued Sonnen.
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In his ascent to the top of the welterweight division, Muhammad fought and defeated a laundry list or contenders including Demian Maia, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Vicente Luque, Sean Brady, Gilbert Burns and Leon Edwards. Heading into the fight with Della Maddalena, it had been six years since Muhammad had lost a fight.
“He walks out there in an undercard against Sean Brady, who by the way nobody else has ever, prior or since, even come close to beating. They don’t ever give him his credit,” Sonnen said.
“There’s a time in life where if you ever want to become a gentlemen you have to learn how to lose. You have to learn that if things don’t go your way you get back on that horse,” added Sonnen. “That’s a great example that Belal set for everybody and yet it’s another thing that he won’t get credit for. But he deserves it.”
