UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will defend his title for the first time at UFC 315 next month after winning it at UFC 304. Despite some criticism of his fighting style, he has garnered respect from top contender Sean Brady, who praised Muhammad’s skills and dismissed the negativity surrounding him. After suffering a loss to Muhammad, Brady has rebounded with significant wins, positioning himself for a potential rematch. Additionally, Brady expressed willingness to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov to solidify his title shot, emphasizing he won’t wait indefinitely for opportunities in the competitive welterweight division.
The UFC’s welterweight champion may not be among the most adored titleholders, but he certainly garners a lot of attention.
Belal Muhammad is poised to make his return in the main event of UFC 315 next month, where he will defend the 170-pound title for the first time.
Since claiming the belt at UFC 304 last year, ‘Remember The Name’ has found himself in the crosshairs of challengers, with both fighters in this weekend’s Kansas City main event eager to take him on.
His next opponent, Jack Della Maddalena, has voiced some critiques of Muhammad’s fighting approach, but a former adversary has recently chosen to speak positively about the champ.
The number one contender in the welterweight division has publicly supported the 36-year-old, who’s just weeks away from headlining the Bell Centre in Montreal.
Top contender Sean Brady voices his support for ‘respectful’ Belal Muhammad
At UFC 280 in 2022, Belal Muhammad aimed to extend his eight-fight unbeaten streak, which includes victories over Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, and Vicente Luque.
While some fans continue to criticize ‘Remember The Name’ for underplaying his performances and achievements, the same cannot be said for the undefeated Sean Brady.
With five consecutive wins in the Octagon, the rising contender was rapidly climbing the ranks but suffered a setback when he was stopped by Muhammad in the second round.
This loss has aged well for Brady, as it came against the future champion. He has since bounced back impressively with major wins over Kelvin Gastelum, Gilbert Burns, and Leon Edwards.
Now sitting at #1 in the 170-pound rankings, Brady is close to a rematch with Muhammad but harbors no ill feelings toward the champ.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, he expressed his belief that the negativity directed at Muhammad is unwarranted, even if he fuels it on social media.
“There was never any beef with us. He gave me my first loss—he was the better man that night. Kudos to him. I think he gets a lot of hate for no reason. He plays into it on social media, but you have to do what you have to do to sell fights, and that’s all he’s doing.
“He was very respectful to me in the cage, after the fight, and I have no issues with him. As a competitor, I can’t wait to fight him again, but it’s nothing but respect from me to all these guys. I don’t have beef with anybody unless you’re like Colby (Covington).”
Sean Brady is ready to face Shavkat Rakhmonov to prove he’s the number one contender
Sean Brady finds himself in a bit of a tricky situation because, even with his #1 ranking, Shavkat Rakhmonov may be ahead of him in line for the title shot.
Rakhmonov secured a win over Ian Machado Garry last December, solidifying his status as a leading contender, but an injury has kept him from fighting at UFC 315 next month.
Brady has a straightforward solution: if the UFC needs either fighter to demonstrate their worthiness for the opportunity, he’s more than willing to face ‘The Nomad’.
In the same interview with MMA Fighting, he stated he has no concerns about competing in a title eliminator to clarify the ranking situation.
“If you look at who he’s beaten lately and who I’ve beaten, it should be me, but I’m not going to wait around for something that’s not guaranteed. If the UFC wants to set up a fight between me and Shavkat, I’m totally fine with that. I know I’m the best fighter in the world, so if I need to beat Shavkat and then fight for the belt, I’m okay with that.”