Belal Muhammad (24-3) thinks bad things are in store for Dricus du Plessis if he faces Khamzat Chimaev.

A matchup between the UFC middleweight titleholder and Chimaev has not been made official as of now. Still, several fans and experts expect du Plessis and “Borz” to mix it up for the next 185-pound title fight under the UFC banner.

While some are on the fence in regard to how such a bout would play out, there isn’t much doubt in Muhammad’s mind about the outcome. The reigning UFC welterweight king told Athlon Sports that he anticipates one-way traffic in favor of Chimaev.

“Honestly, I think Khamzat walks through him,” Muhammad said. “I think that Khamzat’s going to be too strong. He comes out so fast that I can see him going out there and finishing Dricus in the first round or even the second round with a submission.”

Extra Media Attention

Muhammad’s name has been in the spotlight more than ever now that he carries UFC gold. He recalled a time when UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov explained to current lightweight champion Islam Makhachev why the extra media obligations were a positive sign.

“Yeah, there’s so much stuff you’ve got to do now being the champ,” Muhammad said. “It always takes me back to Khabib talking to Islam, and he told him, ‘Brother, you don’t want to do interviews? Then, lose. They don’t interview you when you lose.’ So me, I’m like, ‘Alright, let’s keep winning. Let’s keep getting more interviews.”

Muhammad insists that he’s comfortable with the pressure that comes with being a UFC champion, and he doesn’t plan on giving up his position anytime soon.

“I’ve always dreamt of this, I always wanted this, and now that I’m the champ, I’m not going to let it go,” Muhammad said. “I’m going to keep holding on, I’m going to keep getting better, and keep winning.”

First Title Challenger

Muhammad will attempt to successfully defend the UFC welterweight gold when he takes on Jack Della Maddalena (17-2) this Saturday. When Muhammad enters Bell Centre in Montreal for UFC 315, he’ll be entering his first title defense. The champion doesn’t believe Maddalena presents anything he hasn’t seen before.

“His standup doesn’t even catch my eye,” Muhammad said. “I think I’m better everywhere. I can outstrike him, I can outgrapple him, I can outwrestle him. He only has one path to victory, one way to win. I think that inexperience is going to hurt him, and I think he’s going to realize when he gets in there that I’m a different animal.”

Muhammad wants to make sure that he isn’t mistaken. Other than the fact that Shavkat Rakhmonov went down due to an injury, “Remember the Name” feels that Maddalena earned the right to compete for a UFC title.

“Yeah, 100 percent,” Muhammad said. “When you’re on a 17-fight winning streak, you’re a worthy contender, and I don’t look past anybody. Your next fight is always your toughest fight. So, for me, we don’t underestimate Jack. We worked harder for this fight than we did the Leon fight. So, it’s always just about showing the best version of myself and showing the world how good I am and how great I am.”

What Could Be Next?

If Muhammad can thwart the challenge of Maddalena on Saturday, he won’t be short on options for his next opponent. While Muhammad was once adamant about getting the Rakhmonov fight, he does feel there are other viable 170-pounders.

“I’m down with any of these guys,” Muhammad said. “There’s guys I haven’t fought before. It’s just to show the world that I’m better than them, show the world that I’m the best welterweight. It’s whoever the UFC puts in front of me; that’s who I want. 

“Obviously, it’ll be fun with a guy that actually talks, and a guy that builds up and a guy that trash talks. I love that type of energy, and I’d get that from a Buckley or an Ian Garry or an Usman, but if it ends up being Shavkat, I’m cool with that too because he’s undefeated.”

When Will Muhammad and Makhachev Move Up?

Muhammad and Makhachev have been teasing moving up in weight in search of a second UFC title. The teammates have made it clear that they won’t be fighting each other. So, when can fans expect the two champions to make the weight changes?

“Honestly, I think he still has some contenders at ’55, right? He has Paddy Pimblett, who just won down there. He has Justin Gaethje, who he hasn’t fought. You got Topuria down there, and for me, I’ve got a couple of guys that I want to fight first. So, I think within the next two to three fights for both of us, and then I could see us moving up.”

Ilia Topuria’s Next Opponent

Makhachev’s next UFC lightweight title defense has been a heavily discussed topic within the MMA community. Makhachev’s team has called for Topuria to prove himself at lightweight before getting a title opportunity. Muhammad suggested an opponent for the former UFC Featherweight Champion.

“Honestly, I would do Justin against Islam and Topuria against Oliveira,” Muhammad said. “Oliveira’s been in that division for so long. He has a big win against Chandler, but Paddy just finished Chandler. So, I think for Topuria to go up, that’s a great test for him. He’s a big guy; he has a lot of wins in the division. 

“So, he goes out there, finishes a guy, or beats a guy like Oliveira, it’ll show that he’s big enough. The last time he fought at ’55, he got dropped by Jai Herbert. That’s not instilling confidence that Islam won’t finish him within the first couple of rounds.”

Ian Machado Garry’s Win Over Carlos Prates

A pivotal welterweight clash between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates took place in the main event of UFC Kansas City on April 26. Despite a late scare, Garry held on for the unanimous decision victory. With the win, Garry is the official backup fighter in case Muhammad or Maddalena can’t make it for UFC 315.

The reigning welterweight titleholder shares his assessment of Garry’s win over Prates.

“I thought Ian fought smart,” Muhammad said. “He showed his IQ in that fight. He figured out a way, and for Prates, it’s the experience. You came in, you knocked out all your guys, but once you move up the ladder, the fights get tougher. The fights are different up there, and you have to figure out and you have to make adjustments in the cage. I don’t think he made the adjustment. I think that he took his foot off the gas a little bit earlier just to see how he’ll feel in five rounds. 

“Now, he has that taste of five rounds. I think his next fight he’ll grow better. For Ian, he took another fight on short notice and showed that, ‘I’m back in the win column.’ Now he’s talking. He’s screaming his name that he’s No. 1 contender. Me, I’ve got to handle my business, and then for the UFC, it’s who they think deserves it most.”

“Canelo Hands”

Muhammad insists that he can go toe-to-toe in the striking department with any welterweight. Maddalena is no exception, and Muhammad made quite the bold prediction on what stories fans will read when UFC 315 wraps up.

“I think the headline’s going to read, ‘Belal Muhammad: Canelo hands. Now we know what he means. He got hands, he got wrestling, he got grappling. What can’t this guy do? Who could stand with this guy? Who could fight this guy? Who could beat this guy? I don’t see nobody in the near future that’s going to be able to take his throne.'”

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