In July 2024, UFC fighter Belal “Remember the Name” Muhammad fought the UFC Welterweight World Title match against Leon Edwards in Manchester, England for UFC 304. This match was the main event of UFC 304, and it was an epic rematch that had been three years in the making. Belal fought Edwards back in 2021. That match had a very unexpected ending. Just seconds into round two, the fight was over. Edwards severely poked Belal in the eye, and the fight was called off in the second round with just eighteen seconds on the clock.
In the years since their last match, both Belal and Edwards have achieved win after win after win. At UFC 278 and UFC 286, Edwards beat Kamaru Usman, the UFC Welterweight Champion. Alongside Edwards, Belal has created an unforgettable legacy of his own. He’s tied for most unanimous decision wins in UFC Welterweight division history. He holds the third most decision wins in UFC Welterweight division history, and he has the second highest takedown defense percentage in UFC Welterweight division history
Then, on July 27th, 2024, in Leon Edwards’ hometown of Manchester, England, Belal defeated Edwards and become the new UFC Welterweight Champion. Just weeks before this historic match, we met up with Belal during his training session in Chicago. After training, we sat down with Belal and talked through his journey, his techniques, and his philosophy on life.
Now that everyone knows your name, are you going to change your nickname?
No, I want it to continue to live on in history, right. I want to be remembered as the best Welterweight to ever do it. So, once my career is all said and done, I want that to be what I’m remembered by.
Are you sick and tired of people bringing up the Edwards No Decision?
Yeah, I’m very sick and tired of them bringing up the decision. I think I’m a different fighter now. Whatever happened back then doesn’t really matter now. So I erased that from my mind. Now I’m a different version of myself. This fight’s gonna be a whole different outcome.
What was going through your mind when the No Contest happened at your last fight with Leon Edwards?
I mean I think the biggest thing that went through my mind was, “Is this really how this fight is gonna end? Is this gonna be my first main event outcome? like a No Contest?” Whenever you go into a fight, whether you win or whether you lose, there’s a decision. So for me, to have that fight end in that way…when you start your career, you think, “When I get my first main event, it’s gonna be this, this, and this.” And then just to be a No Contest, it was heartbreaking.
How does it feel to fight Leon Edwards again after three years?
I feel like it’s meant to be. We both have been winning since then. He’s the champion now, so now this fight means a whole lot more. Back then it was, “If I beat Leon, maybe I’ll get a title fight” (because he was number three at the time). Now if I beat Leon, I’m the champion. I’m the best in the world, and he’s the guy that just beat who everybody thought was the best in the world, Usman, twice. So if I go out there and beat him, I’m considered the best in the world.
How does it feel to fight in Manchester, England?
It feels great. It feels like that’s the type of story that I’m meant to have. I’m supposed to go to enemy territory. Nothing was ever given to me easily. So now the fact that it’s on this big of a stage, in a new arena, in his hometown, I’m going across the world to bring gold back home, I think that’s your “Rocky” story.
and this will be your first time there, correct? You haven’t been there to commentate or…?
I’ve been to London before, but I went to London for two days, and I was just in and out. And it was crazy too because I was there for a Q&A (but it was after the Leon fight when I was fighting in Abu Dhabi) and the crowd was just booing me, they were like, “Boo! Leon…Blah, blah, blah.” So I was like, “Now I know what type of energy I’m gonna get when I’m there,” so it feels good because I’m prepared for it.
What’s the best thing about Chicago?
My family. This is where all the people I know live right now, and I’ve got a small circle so to be able to see my family every day, hang with them, talk with them, whenever I want to go see my mom she’s right here so that’s the best thing about it. Everyday you’re working hard. You’re grinding. You’re getting beat up. You’re bleeding, but just to go home and, you know, relax and be by the people that love you, nothing beats it.
How do you prepare mentally and emotionally for a fight?
I prepare mentally and emotionally by…honestly…just out working it. I just push myself to the limit every single day, and I get beat up in practice every single day, and to know that I left no stone unturned and knowing that I did everything I had to do to get to this fight, so I’m not gonna have any regrets regardless.
What’s some of the biggest lessons and take-aways you’ve learned in the past three years?
The biggest lessons and takeaways I’ve learned is, “Don’t let your wins get too high, and don’t let your losses get too low because they’re all temporary.” You’re on top of the world when you win, and when you lose you’re at the bottom. So just stay neutral with everything. You could always get better. You could always grow, and, when you really think about it at the end of the day, the only people that are going to truly love you in the end is your family, so you keep those people close to you.
If you could talk to the “you” from three years ago, what would you say?
Just be patient. Just keep grinding. Put your head down. Don’t worry about what anybody says, the naysayers, nobody. Continue being you, and, in the end, we’re gonna make it to the top.
Do you have any advice for someone who is trying to balance their personal convictions with their professional career?
Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest thing I tell people is, “Don’t lose yourself for money. Don’t sit there and hesitate.” If you’re a human, if you know what’s right and you know what’s wrong, always fight for what’s right. Because at the end of the day when it’s all said and done and you have your grandkids and they look back at history and they tell you like, “What did you do at this time period? Did you say anything? Did you stand up for anything? And if you just say, “No, I was quiet. I was afraid,” how do you think they’re gonna react?
So at this moment, especially in this time when the Palestinians are getting murdered every single day, the kids over there are starving, the mothers are losing their children, children are losing their mothers, and you sit there and still be quiet and still hesitate to speak on it, are you really human?
I would even say like, “Are you really emotionally and spiritually right?” There has to be something mentally wrong with you if you can sit there and look at this every single day and still think that it’s okay, or still think that they deserve it, or they earned it, or “Let me just brush it off.” These are kids. These are mothers. These are fathers, and they’re all dying. And I think the world needs to start waking up and just be human.
CRNR Pro Team
Belal Muhammad is part of the Combat Corner Pro Team. Our Pro Team encompasses world champions in every area of mixed martial arts, from Tierra Brandt (4x IFMA World Champion) to Kai Kamaka (Bellator Featherweight Champion) to Taylor Starling (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Winner) to Emmanuel Sanchez (APFC Champion). Learn more about our pro team below.
