Joe Rogan is back enthralling the community with yet another spanking new podcast, featuring none other than the newly crowned welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad. And being so heavily involved in the sport himself, Rogan couldn’t help himself ask the champ the million-dollar question – ‘Who do you think is next, Shavkat or Usman?’
To which, Belal used Dana White’s words to re-iterate that the name doesn’t matter… Even if it’s the former welterweight champion, or the rising undefeated Kazakh killer, Shavkat Rakhmonov.
“I think like you said, legacy wise, (Kamaru) Usman is obviously the bigger name and he was the guy that Dana (White) said was the best welterweight behind GSP or in front of GSP. But for boogeyman wise, and like shut up the naysayers I think it’s Shavkat Rakhmonov because he is undefeated. He is the guy that everybody thinks is this killer. For myself, it’s like either one does a lot for me.”
Recognizing his greatness and acknowledging him as the greatest welterweight on the planet, Belal hinted that a legacy fight with Usman is certainly on the table.
That being said, ‘Remember The Name‘ also wants to silence the detractors, taking on the ‘Nomad’ Rakhmonov to cement his legacy forever. Shavkat currently is on a tear with six straight wins in the promotion while Usman ever since his title loss to Leon Edwards has been in a rut with two back-to-back losses.
So, the Palestinian-American doesn’t really provide fans with a name but gives the impression that he is ready to take on anyone, anytime.
But as of right now, he’s just enjoying the Chicago’s hospitality.
Belal Muhammed: The prodigal son returns
‘Remember The Name’ really did make the most of his title shot. He defeated the former champ, Leon Edwards on his home turf, dominating him all through four rounds to pick the decision win.
And ever since then, the 36-year-old’s popularity has been adored and give ticker tape parades for winning the welterweight title in Manchester.
From being considered a lackluster fighter with zero mic skills, he is now the heartthrob of many with thousands of fans following him on social media as he became UFC’s first-ever Palestinian-born champion.
Recently, in an exclusive to Submission Radio, the champ revealed the heartwarming welcome he got in his hometown Chicago. He said,
“‘It felt great man to have my own parade. We had a lot of my family there a lot of my friends there, and you know, growing up in Chicago, you had like the Bulls, the Socks, the Cubs, all those parades, and to be able to go to those parades, and now I have my own parade. It was just an amazing experience in general.”
Belal Muhammad is getting a lot of love back home in Chicago 🏆💪
🎥 IG / @bullyb170 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/nlZGq3oY1c
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 11, 2024
Belal even got a shoutout from former teammate and WWE superstar CM Punk on RAW. And it would feel like justice, if one were him. The absolute slogging he’s had to do for years to even get within sniffing distance of a title shot and then to win it at a time when his country is being bombed to smithereens; this must feel just… right!
