Belal Muhammad did not stick to the game plan.
Earlier this month, Muhammad lost his UFC welterweight title and dropped a unanimous decision to Jacques de Ra Maddarena at UFC 315. Heading into the battle, Muhammad is known for his grappling and pressure. Most fans thought this was intense until Muhammad spent much of his willingness to engage and fight in an impressive battle with “JDM.” Many suspect that it was not a real plan, and Muhammad confirmed so much on Friday.
“I think I have some of the best teams in the world, some of the best coaches in the world. We go into every fight with the strategies and ideas of what we want to do,” Muhammad said. Remember the show. “Clearly, for us, our strategy was to defeat Jack. It wasn’t about giving him a blow, not braking with him.
“But man, it’s a strange moment when you train something very much and you’re getting better with something. I think my blow is growing so much. I’ve always said that. And I went out there and I just felt better.”
Muhammad succeeded at his feet, but in the end it wasn’t enough. However, despite the fact that he lost the title, Muhammad still does not believe his decision was a bad one.
“I know how to say that when you’re a champion and you get 20% better they have different energy. For me, I’ve always thought I was the best in the world,” Muhammad said. “I still think I’m the best in the world. ‘Brother, I can hit with this guy. People say I can’t hit with him.’ Obviously, we lost the fight, but we were standing up to our toes with him.
“But it ended up being one round. Perhaps it was able to rock the judges in one direction. Was my game plan wrong? I could go the other way. Was it an easy fight?
The loss was Muhammad’s first since 2019, snapping an unbeaten streak of 11 matches. I’ve also deleted “Remember my name” from the current title photo. However, Muhammad believes that one good victory will soon bring him back to get the title.
“I fight away from winning the belt. I fight one fight away from being there,” Muhammad said. “…I’m not stupid. I’m going to sit there and think, ‘Oh, I’m going to wait for a rematch.’ I want to defeat one of these guys. …
“When I’m looking at the division, I’m looking at the division landscape. If Kamal (USMAN) wins, I think there’s obvious chances of him jumping out to the table. “You have Ian Garry, you have (Shawn) Brady, and even if Buckley wins.
He will soon turn 37, but Muhammad says the loss is merely a setback. It took him a long time to finally get his title opportunity, and he is not ready to stop it just because he lost his first title defense.
“I still have that hunger and desire to continue to achieve greatness,” Muhammad said. “To me, ‘It’s over, sad now, let’s see what YouTubers are out there.’ I’m still chasing legacy, but I’m still chasing GSP. I don’t care how old they are or how old they are.