UFC color commentator Paul Felder thinks it is time for Belal Muhammad to change his MMA alias, with his title shot against Leon Edwards remaining uncertain.
Muhammad is determined to soon face Edwards in the cage. Many would think he would be next after Colby Covington, especially with his No. 2 rank in the welterweight division and his backup role for Edwards’ bout at UFC 296. However, the champ himself is uninterested in the fight.
The two first fought in March 2021, but the bout did not continue after Edwards accidentally poked his opponent’s eye. Now, Muhammad wants to end the fight by getting another match with Edwards. The champ, however, is dismissive of the idea, calling Muhammad “a boring fighter.” The Briton’s coach, Dave Lovell, also shared the same sentiment, expressing a preference for Gilbert Burns over Muhammad. For Lovell, despite the second-round accident in the match, Edwards had already proved he could beat “Remember The Name” due to what the former showed in the first round.
UFC CEO Dana White’s side also seems to lack interest, dismissing questions about Muhammad’s situation in challenging Edwards. Felder pointed this out and underscored that Muhammad took the role of a backup fighter just to secure the title shot. Yet, all the efforts seem to be going nowhere for the fighter, who is still being ignored in the division.
“Belal was the backup fighter for that,” Felder said during an interview. “And, you know, he only did that, and he said it on media days, that he only did it to cement that he’s gonna get this. He’s like, ‘Colby was a backup fighter, and he got the guaranteed shot.’ He just absolutely- but already, we’re hearing, you know, Dana was asked about it, is Belal getting, ‘Oh, we’re not talking about that now.’ It’s like, well, you were guaranteeing it earlier.
“His name should be changed to Belal ‘Remember That I Should Be Next’ Muhammad.”
Despite Muhammad’s rank, Edwards’ team is eyeing other fighters in the division. For Lovell, Gilbert Burns “brings more to the table than Belal,” while Edwards himself is more interested in Shavkat Rakhmonov, whom he described as a “good fight.” Yet, for Jon Anik, handling Muhammad once again is an essential step for Edwards if he wants to achieve his goal of becoming the GOAT of the welterweight.
