Those that should not followers of Belal Muhammad will need to have felt justified upon seeing UFC CEO Dana White’s temper on the UFC 304 post-fight press convention instantly following his title win.
Muhammad toppled Leon Edwards within the card’s essential occasion by way of unanimous resolution to seize the UFC welterweight championship. Although he was capable of get his pictures in on the ft, maybe his finest work got here along with his robust wrestling background.
“Keep in mind the Title” always pressured Edwards, bringing him to the fence on a number of events to attain takedowns. Muhammad managed Edwards in a approach nobody had ever seen earlier than, although Edwards landed nasty elbows within the combat’s closing seconds that would have troubled Muhammad had the combat had extra time.
Muhammad’s wrestling-heavy offense has led to him being negatively acquired by many followers, and it appeared from the second White wrapped the belt round his waist within the Octagon that the UFC CEO was not impressed.
“It wasn’t a barnburner,” White mentioned matter-of-factly on the press convention.
Dana White Says Belal Muhammad Gameplan Was ‘What You Would Count on’
After that remark, a reporter adopted up by asking White if Edwards’ efficiency — together with others on the cardboard — had been compromised by a late begin time. The cardboard aired in its typical pay-per-view slot, so the pay-per-view didn’t start till 3:10 AM in England after being delayed by 10 minutes because of the prelims operating over time.
It ought to be value noting that the choice to not transfer the beginning time to one thing extra UK-friendly is extensively believed to have been an ESPN resolution, not UFC’s. Though the extent to which the promotion might have pressured various plans has been extensively debated.
White declined to touch upon that matter, suggesting to reporters in Manchester that they’d should ask Edwards himself about his efficiency.
The UFC did, nevertheless, recommend that he was not shocked by Muhammad’s gameplan given his coaching time with former undefeated UFC light-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“I do know Belal has been coaching with Khabib,” White mentioned. “So his efficiency is…what you’ll anticipate.”
Muhammad and Edwards had been competing in a rematch from their preliminary 2021 battle that led to a no contest after the previous was hit with a nasty eye poke.
Each males had been on massive unbeaten runs. UFC 304 marked “Rocky’s” first loss since his first combat with Kamaru Usman in December 2015. Muhammad, in the meantime, has not misplaced since a defeat by the hands of Geoff Neal in January 2019.
