Belal Muhammad made history in the UFC on Saturday when he rag-dolled Leon Edwards in Manchester, becoming the promotion’s first Palestinian champion! Following the spectacular win, Muhammad celebrated by paying homage to his Palestinian roots at a time when the region is at war, earning the praise of former Manchester United captain, Patrice Evra.
‘Remember The Name’ shattered all expectations, as he dominated the British champion for four rounds before emerging with a decision victory. With this win, Belal is now on an 11-fight win streak and the fighter dedicated his win to his countrymen in Palestine, celebrating it in a green Lamborghini adorned with the nation’s flag.
With the clips of Muhammad’s celebration going viral on social media, former French national team captain and ex-United captain, Evra couldn’t help but notice the fighter’s greatness. Tagging the champ in a comment, Evra noted,
“What a great fight respect.”
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Hundreds of ardent followers joined the champion on the streets to celebrate his win while Belal was seen standing inside the car with the hard-earned belt in his hand. Furthermore, the champion also responded to the 18-0 undefeated WW prospect’s callout after the monumental UFC 304 win.
Muhammad responds to Shavkat Rakhmonov’s callout
Despite his first meeting with Edwards ending badly, Muhammad rested his hopes on god almighty and crawled his way to the top, taking on one fighter at a time until the UFC finally warranted him a title shot. He then made the most of the opportunity and showcased his improved fighting game, dominating ‘Rocky’ behind enemy lines.
Congratulations on your well-deserved victory, @bullyb170! I hope you keep your word and defend your title against me when you’re ready, champ
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) July 28, 2024
While the new champion has confirmed that he is not going to hand Edwards an immediate rematch, Belal has also responded to Shavkat Rakhmonov’s callout. Respectful in his approach, the Kazakh warrior urged for a title shot, reminding ‘Bullyb’ of his word. Well, the challenge soon reached the champ’s ears and he quickly responded by saying,
“Yeah of course [I’d be willing to fight Shavkat], I’ve literally never turned down a fight, I’ve never backed down from anybody [since] I’ve had so many people turn down fights against me. Now, I’m at the top, I’m the man and for me, it’s about cementing my legacy as the best welterweight to ever do it so I’m not gonna sit there and call out these random guys.”
Throwing shade at a few other champions, Muhammad insisted that he would take on anyone the promotion puts in front of him. More importantly, the Illinois native claimed he is more focused on building a legacy rather than showing off his achievement with cheap theatrics.
