UFC 304: Bear in mind Belal Muhammad’s Identify After Title-Combat Win vs. Leon Edwards

Ultimately, Belal Muhammad did precisely what he stated he would at UFC 304.

The Palestinian-American welterweight returned to motion in the principle occasion of the Saturday card in Manchester, England — which kicked off at an ungodly 3:00 a.m. native time — difficult British champion Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title on enemy soil.

Heading into the struggle, Muhammad was unendingly assured. Time and again, he advised us how he would beat Edwards, even revealing particular particulars of his recreation plan, however nearly no one took it significantly. The Chicago-based welterweight, who had gained 10 straight fights forward of his journey to Manchester, entered as a giant underdog with the arrogance of solely his workforce and his most devoted followers.

All of his doubters had been flawed. I used to be flawed.

Whereas Edwards had his moments within the struggle, Muhammad was in charge of practically all the 25 allotted minutes, not solely having success along with his wrestling — as some believed he might — however banging his foe up on the ft, which few anticipated.

By the point the five-round struggle was over, he had landed 192 of 281 tried strikes, succeeded on 9 of 13 tried takedowns, and used these takedowns to rack up 12:02 of management — a transparent recipe for a unanimous resolution win.

By the point the belt was being wrapped round his waist, all of the British crowd might do was boo.

“I see you guys with watery eyes proper now,” he stated, acknowledging that he had spoiled the evening — or the morning — for the followers in attendance.

Muhammad’s win over Edwards will go down as one of many greatest upsets of 2024 — notably on condition that Edwards appeared to be dominating him till their first struggle, in 2021, ended with a watch poke.

The brand new champion’s future, nevertheless, is unclear.

Having simply fought, and seemingly sustained minimal accidents, there is a good likelihood he’ll should defend his belt earlier than the 12 months is out, but it surely’s tough to say who his opponent can be.

There are a ton of choices.

Edwards, who had defended the title twice earlier than rematching Muhammad, may very well be afforded a possibility for a rematch, notably given the early success he had of their 2021 no-contest.

The previous champ, for his half, appears to need the prospect.

“My physique felt drained,” he stated after the early-morning loss, laying out plans to struggle once more earlier than the 12 months’s out. “We’ll get it again once more.”

Extra doubtless than Muhammad vs. Edwards III, nevertheless, is that the brand new champ will find yourself defending his welterweight title in opposition to one of many many harmful contenders close to the highest of the burden class: particularly, Kazakhstan’s Shavkat Rakhmonov, Eire’s Ian Garry, and Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena.

All of these males have a good shot at beating the brand new champ — and most would doubtless enter the Octagon with him as betting favorites. Rakhmonov and Garry are unbeaten at 19-0 and 12-0 apiece. Della Maddalena has misplaced twice, however has gained 17 straight, together with a latest stoppage of former title challenger Gilbert Burns.

With such ferocious contenders on the high of the welterweight division, the title could change fingers usually over the subsequent 12 months or two, however Muhammad is assured in his reign.

“I am no Khabib [Nurmagomedov], I am no GSP (Georges St-Pierre,)” he stated after his title win, evaluating himself to different MMA greats. “I am my very own man. Now the world is aware of it and the world sees it.”

Whereas it stays to be seen who will Muhammad will struggle subsequent, and the way lengthy he’ll grasp onto the belt, one factor is evident: All of us want to select up our forks, put our napkins on our laps, and eat some crow.

Virtually no one believed Muhammad might beat Edwards, and he did not simply beat the champ, however did it decisively, behind enemy traces, at a time of day when nearly no one was awake.

His nickname, for many of his profession, has been “Bear in mind the Identify.” When coupled along with his unabashed confidence heading into his first UFC title bid, that nickname made him a little bit of a laughing inventory.

Most individuals thought he would go down as an excellent however not nice welterweight who would by no means get his fingers on a UFC belt.

After UFC 304, we’ll all bear in mind his title.