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Bilal Muhammad
You're listening to an iHeart podcast.
Daniel Cormier
This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. When you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really does have your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. Visit totalwireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G capable device and a 5G service area. Additional terms apply. See website for details.
Bilal Muhammad
The volume.
Daniel Cormier
And today's episode is brought to you by Total Wireless, the official wireless provider of UFC. They're in your corner with unlimited 5G.
Michael Chiesa
Data that will not slow you down. Thanks for checking in with me, as always. You know, we've been doing these for a while, since New Jersey. I don't know who you beat in New Jersey. You remember that one time we were talking about basketball and I was wearing Jordans or you were wearing Jordans, and because I'll play you so bad, I told you, take them off.
Daniel Cormier
You were wearing Jordans.
Michael Chiesa
You're wearing Jordans. You're wearing Jordans. And you're aware I outplayed you and you were like. I was like, yo, don't wear those Jordans, Bobby, because of what happened in the game. Remember when I hit you with that sky hook? I got you with a sky.
Daniel Cormier
You remember that?
Bilal Muhammad
I got you with this guy hook.
Michael Chiesa
But it wasn't like Kareem dude, Jabar style. Hey, but we've been doing these for a while, man, and do it. All right? You've been on a long win streak, but now you're the champion. I told you, you carry a little bit of a different aura. Like, what do you. What is it? What does it feel like? Life now as the champion does feel.
Bilal Muhammad
A little bit different. You know, walking around with gold. I got money in my pocket now. I don't gotta. Now me and Ian can eat steak. We don't have to eat, you know, grilled chicken every day. Yeah, life went good, man. For me, it's more so, like the people around me, right? The people that have been with me from the beginning, the journey, they saw me from my lows to the highs and just be Able to celebrate with them has been the best part.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah. I saw a picture of you when you went up to Dana, and you were like, I'm gonna be a UFC champ here. I say something. You look so broke. You look so broke. I was like, he's not gonna be a champ.
Daniel Cormier
If I would have saw you when.
Michael Chiesa
You went up to my. Be, like, you're not gonna be a champ. But belief in yourself, even then, bro, like, and then how, when you start in the career, in the way that it went, did you never lose faith?
Daniel Cormier
Right?
Michael Chiesa
You never lost faith. What did you know in this team that you built that regardless of what was happening, it was always going to happen? Because, bro, you're a little dusty boy. When you walked up today to say you about to be a world champion.
Bilal Muhammad
Honestly, I look back, what the heck? But I had dreams, right? I always believed in myself. And for me, it was always to keep the people around me that kept pushing me, to keep people around me that. That wanted the best of me. Like, even when I lost, even when I got into the UFC and I started one and two. Yeah, those people around me, they stay the course. We're gonna get it.
Ali Abdelaziz
We.
Bilal Muhammad
We know what we could do. We know what we're capable of. And it was just like you said, having faith, believing in God, knowing that God's plan is the best plan. I'm very religious and praying five times a day. You talk to God a lot. You speak to God, you tell him your fears, your desires. And for me, that's where the patience came in. That's where the mentality came in. And every one of those downs made this high that much better.
Michael Chiesa
Let's go back to the night you won the championship. Right? We're in Manchester, right? It's five o' clock in the morning. It's like the craziest time frame of all time. You literally pitch a shutout, right? You fought as good of a fight as I've ever seen you fight. The pressure was there, the takedowns were there. You did everything in the way that you wanted to. You really put Leon on his heels the entire time. Immediately start hearing, oh, it was the middle of the night. There's kind of a little bit of, like, excuses. Did you pay much attention to that? And were you disappointed in the idea that not only did he say that, but it felt like people were almost supporting the idea that it went down the way that it did because of the time when you yourself had to fight. At the same time, it was even worse for me.
Bilal Muhammad
I Had to go out there. He was talking about he hired a NASCAR sleeping coach and everything. We had to get a sleep machine because we were still broke back then.
Michael Chiesa
Right.
Bilal Muhammad
But. But people been doing that every one of my fights, right. Every time I beat somebody, there's an excuse, and it's from the. From people, from the fighters, and they. They go off that narrative that I only lost because of this. I only lost because of this. So my mentality was, bro, it's all good. I'm just gonna keep winning, right?
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
At the end of the day, I. My resume speaks for itself. I wouldn't speak for itself. And I'm dominating these guys.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
And people look at that day. Like you said, I fought such a great fight. But, bro, that wasn't even the. The version. I am the best version. I am. Right. That was at 5am that was us trying to stay awake that late. Like, yeah, version this Saturday is going to be the best version you've ever seen.
Michael Chiesa
But what have you done differently? Because again, like I said, as an outsider watching, I feel like I don't think I've ever seen you look better. You look great. Against Sean Brady, especially, Obviously, you knocked him out, but in terms of just overall performance, I thought that was probably your. Your best performance to this date. What have you done to change it?
Bilal Muhammad
We constantly evolve. Like, the. Our gym, we're not settled on. All right now. We're good. Take your foot off the gas. I'm training every single day. I'm getting better every single day. Like, the guys I train with, bro, they're the best in the world. They're. They're so good. Like, bro, this guy's getting spinny heel kick, knockouts, this guy. So I'm learning some of that, bro. I'm doing some spinning stuff with the kid.
Michael Chiesa
Don't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. That don't work, man. No, I tell you, this don't work, man. Bro, let me tell you something. Remember when Chris Wyman tried that against Luke? Don't do that spinning stuff. In more cases with the spins, it turns out bad than it does for you, like Ignacio.
Bilal Muhammad
But Wyman was learning from, like, Al Joseph. I'm learning from professional, right? I'm learning from somebody who actually knows how to do it.
Daniel Cormier
Oh, my God.
Michael Chiesa
Stay away from the spinning attacks, but don't do it. You get the staph infection, right? It was bad, man. And Chael Sonnet told me the story the other day, and you tell me this is true, because I Never know if Chelsea telling the truth. He tells me that you wanted to gauge your readiness, and to do that, you said, I'm gonna do push ups. And he said, you got to five. And that was seven months ago. But I'm trying to explain the chill. Like, you're on your toe, and that's what a staph infection was. So maybe that was what played a part in you not being able to do it. When you did that, though, if it's true, which it looks like you're shaking your head like it's true. If it's true, when you can only hit five push ups as the world champ, what are your thoughts? Like, are you thinking to yourself, man, I'm really far away from where I need to be in order to get back to that championship level that I'm accustomed to being at.
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah, man, that was, like, the hardest time in my life because like you said, you just won the belt. You're the highest high. And you're like, all right, what's next? Let's go next. And then we get that, and the doctor's telling you, bro, like, you could lose your foot. You could. You could have died and all that. I'm like, bro, what? From a bone infection? He's like, bro, it's lit up. And when I had to cancel that fight, it was, like, heartbreaking. Then sitting at a couch like, you can't sweat. And I'm like, bro, I literally work out every single day. There's not a time or day that I'm not doing something. They're like, you can't sweat. Don't move. Don't do this. And then, yeah, you're like, when you feel your weakest, you're like, bro, am I ever going to be back to what I was like, am I ever going to get to where I was again? But that's where the faith comes in. That's where I have the team around you that pushes you, the coaches. When I. When it's time to go, right? It was like, all right, you got the all clear. And I was like, all right, let me go train hard right now. So, like, the people around me slow me down. Let's yo go a little bit lighter. We don't want to get hurt again or something worse happens, right? So. But we got through it, like, like I said, it made me love this game that much more, made me appreciate it that much more, because beating out of the gym, like, it made me realize how much I needed it. And now where I am right now is like, I Said the strongest I ever felt.
Michael Chiesa
How long before you were able to get back in the gym to start to train after the staph infection? And isn't it. Isn't it crazy how you take things for granted until you don't have it, and then you realize, like, man, I would literally die to be able to do something that I've been doing for 10 years.
Bilal Muhammad
It's wild, right? You don't even. Like when people always say, oh, man, you know, take care of your health before you don't have it no more. You're like, oh, I'm still young. I still got this. I still got time. But all of a sudden, a stab of a finger, it all changes.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
And. Yeah, maybe just realize that, right? And. Yeah. I mean, for myself, from. For. For what I've been through, what I've gone through, like, I'm on another level now, just mentally strong. It made me that much better, maybe that much physically stronger, too.
Michael Chiesa
And the ability to do this. Now, you appreciate it, right? You appreciate the fact that on Saturday night, you get to go out and fight for a world championship, and you always appreciate the competition, right? But when it feels like it was taken away because you trained and you.
Daniel Cormier
Got a staffing veg, like, literally, you.
Michael Chiesa
Train every day and it doesn't happen, but then it happens, and it feels like it's getting taken away. That appreciation for the opportunity that in itself can lead you to feeling like you can fight better or want to fight better than you ever have in your life.
Bilal Muhammad
100. Like, my mentality now is like, I'm so grateful that I. I gotta fight two days away, three days away.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
And it's like. It's more like a freeing, you know, where you're like, yes, we. We got a chance. We got another chance at it, because there was a chance that we wouldn't fight again. You're like, I waited my whole career just to get to the title. I got the title. Now I'm not gonna be able to fight again. Now I'm gonna lose a foot now. My whole life's gonna change because of this. But now it's like, we got it. God blessed us.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
Now I'm not gonna, you know, waste that opportunity.
Michael Chiesa
So when you're looking at the division, right? Joaquin Buckley beats on. Colby Covington. He's, like, riding hot right now. Looking really good. Jack Della Maddalena, you had him scheduled versus Leon Edwards. Sean Brady was available. Like, everybody seemed to be matched up. Shavka Rockmanov beats Ian Gary, who now Ian Gary went and beat protest. So now it's like the whole division is kind of in flux underneath you, but you're waiting for a call. Everybody expects it's Shavkat. Shavkat's hurt. Nobody thought Jack Della Madeleina, when you got that name in particular, what was your first thought? Like, do you look back at a fight, like, especially that fight with that one dude, Basil Hafez, and go, okay, I'm ready to eat? Or do you go, like, okay, he deserves it, you know, because sometimes in the guy that isn't expected is the one that fights you better than you could have expected. I E Pereira versus Khalil Rountree.
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, for me, it was like, Jack. But then when I look and I'm like, oh, well, he has the longest winning streak in the division. And at that time, it was like, all these other guys, why be Brady? You know, Kamara and Kobe both suck. These other guys are right there. And then I was like, all right, well, it made sense at the time. So I'm like, well, the guy with W streak but high teeth mentality. We always had the mentality of like, yo, we're fighting the best version. Don't come in there to get. It's going to be easy. We have to work harder. We have to push ourselves harder than the fight.
Michael Chiesa
He said that you're boring, right? That's something that you've been trying to get away from for a long time. I didn't think that last fight was born. I didn't think that the fight against Sean. What's his name, Sean John Brady was boring. I don't think that the last few fights have been boring, but he says that you're boring, and it makes a comparison to George, NPR or something like that. How in the world can you make a comparison? That would be to me. You tell me anything in the same name as George St. Pierre. I'm like, okay, thank God. Like, I made it.
Daniel Cormier
But he.
Michael Chiesa
He thinks that you're born.
Bilal Muhammad
I don't know if it's the way that Australians trash talk where they. Where they try to compliment you. I'm like, bro, what? But, you know, I was sitting there like, okay, we'll see how boring it is Saturday, right? When I punch you in the mouth and then, yeah, you don't. Not hurting you. Like, these guys, they all have that. That narrative, and they say this or say that, but when they get into the cage, they realize it's different. They realize, oh, wait, he's not boring. Wait, this is not Boring. I'm gonna hit in the mouth.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
The ref needs to step in and save me. All these guys, they all will think one way, but when they get in the cage after the fight, then they think another way.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
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Daniel Cormier
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Daniel Cormier
This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. So when you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really has your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. They keep you covered for just $25 a month with four lines without sacrificing the essentials like speed. With Total, you get unlimited 5G data so you can stay ahead of the action and keep up with every knockout. Total Wireless understands you can't afford surprise blows any more than your favorite fighter can. That's why the price is guaranteed for five years, taxes and fees included. The best fighters don't make it to the Octagon alone. They have all in support along the way, and it shouldn't be any different for you. So visit total wireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G capable device and a 5G service area. Monthly rate on the Total Base 5G Unlimited plan for new subscribers applies only to the monthly rate for your plan. Additional terms apply. See website for details.
Michael Chiesa
It would seem as though it would be a very tough matchup for Jack Della Madalina. Fighting. You people don't respect, I think, your size whenever they're looking at you. And then when you get into the Octagon on fight night because of the way that you. You compete, how do you think he'll deal with that? That pace, that pressure, and your ability to kind of grind up against him whenever he's not really accustomed to that?
Bilal Muhammad
He's gonna break. They all break, right? They all. They all feel that. I see it in their eyes. I see the moment where they look at it and they're, what do I do next? There's no plan B. He's his. He only has one plan, one way to win, right? It's on the feet. But when I'm out striking him on the feet, then he's gonna have to shoot for a takedown, and I'm just gonna laugh and I'm all right. What do you do next?
Michael Chiesa
Leon shot on you?
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah, right?
Michael Chiesa
Yeah.
Bilal Muhammad
It's like these guys all do that. I trained with the best striker in ufc, so I'm not worried about anything he throws at me. Anything. He's gonna come with his. With his hands. I'm gonna laugh at it like I've seen it all. So I'm gonna go out there, dominate him, and then break them.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah. You said earlier this week you're going to defend your championship. Islam might as well. He just go ahead and schedule your fight. I'm staying here. There's no interest in going up to 185 like, are you still just enjoying the weight? Like, you're good here at 170 still?
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah. I mean, the weight, because he's. For me, I would go to 180. They gave me the chance, but I feel like I need at least two or three title defenses.
Michael Chiesa
But is that the word? Is that the world we live in anymore? Ilya just moved up after one title defense.
Bilal Muhammad
I mean, if Dan White gets the offer, right? I'll go up there. Like, Driska sucks.
Michael Chiesa
Why do you think everybody sucks, man? You just said Kamala says Kobe sucks and drinking sucks.
Bilal Muhammad
All right, if we're all looking at those three guys, those do suck. Like, they're not really good. When I compare them to myself, like, I break every single one of them.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah, well, okay, before I let you go, you, Kamaru Usman, got into a fight, man. Y' all actually got into a fight blog. Whose idea was it for you to even go on the podcast when you guys have been joined at each other before?
Bilal Muhammad
We all know that. I think it's like, Ali or something, right?
Michael Chiesa
It was Ali, brother.
Bilal Muhammad
You know, it's gonna be professional.
Michael Chiesa
I'm like, bro, you guys were jawing at each other before the interview.
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah. But, you know, maybe Ali thought it was gonna be something different. But what happened?
Michael Chiesa
I gotta know. Nobody told me. I'm like, yo, somebody tell me what happened.
Bilal Muhammad
So we got onto the podcast, and then tomorrow. Tomorrow's ego is so big, he didn't realize that he had a real champion in front of him. He thought he was still the world champion. I don't. I think it.
Michael Chiesa
Because of the same management. You guys have always been in the same circle, but because he was the champion, you always have been kind of the guy. The roles are reversed.
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah.
Michael Chiesa
So it's hard to kind of look at this new world that we live in.
Bilal Muhammad
Exactly. But you're. You're like, you're supposed to be the podcaster. Right?
Michael Chiesa
Like, you know, I'd fight your ass, too.
Bilal Muhammad
You're the host.
Michael Chiesa
Yes.
Bilal Muhammad
Yeah, but he's not really a good host. He doesn't really know how to talk, you know, how to speak. So who knows? Probably should take the lead a little bit more. But we were just talking about it, me being at the top and how the champion now. He was like, oh, I'm the champion, too. I'm like, how are you the champion, too? Like, what are you talking.
Michael Chiesa
Wait, no, you stop, bro.
Bilal Muhammad
Literally, he literally said, long stop. And I was like, bro, is this guy's head that big? I'm like, no, you're not the J3.5 lizard streak.
Michael Chiesa
You said that right there.
Bilal Muhammad
Oh, bro. No, it got even worse. This is what I think.
Michael Chiesa
Oh, my God.
Daniel Cormier
Were you guys there?
Michael Chiesa
Oh, if we were there, who was there? Lou, Is this all true?
Bilal Muhammad
Blew it for D.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah. Okay, so go ahead.
Bilal Muhammad
This is what triggered. He was like, I'm the champion. Anything you do, I do better. And I was like, you don't take the head kick better than.
Michael Chiesa
Well, all that's kind of hitting below.
Daniel Cormier
The belt a little bit.
Bilal Muhammad
You're gonna come at, like, a little.
Michael Chiesa
Bit of a little belt, maybe.
Bilal Muhammad
No, it's like, you can't. If you're gonna talk, like, you gotta be able to take it.
Michael Chiesa
Oh.
Bilal Muhammad
And then it was like, from there, like, I saw the tear. Like, you know when somebody's about to cry, like, you're watching a movie, you see it, like, blowing in the side of your eyes. I was like, bro, is this man really gonna cry right now? I was like, you were a champion before, man. Relax. And it started tearing up. And you know, when those kids, when you're a young kid and you get mad at, you start crying. You're like, I'm gonna fight you. And that's what it turned out to be.
Michael Chiesa
Are you guys toss.
Bilal Muhammad
I mean, it wasn't really a toss of like, somebody got hits. Somebody got.
Michael Chiesa
I cannot wait to see the footage because he fights Joaquin Buckley next and if he wins, could potentially be the number one contender.
Bilal Muhammad
Precisely. Right? But I think you got to do a lot more editing. They're trying to get some AI done with that video. Somebody. Why ain't out there yet. We've been looking for a. Searching for a.
Michael Chiesa
So you beat Jack Della. That's your preference? Kamaru Usman, I mean, he has to win, right?
Bilal Muhammad
You're out of three brothers.
Michael Chiesa
Do you think he beats Joaquin Buckley?
Bilal Muhammad
I don't.
Michael Chiesa
No. You don't, huh?
Bilal Muhammad
I mean, you're on a two year hiatus. Buckley's been going hard, right? He's been working, he's been training, fighting well. He's fighting well. He just dominated Kobe and Kamara, went to war with Kobe. Right. So mma, I'm looking at, like, Buckley's about to knock him out.
Michael Chiesa
Yeah, well, you got business to take care of this weekend, and you seem prime to do that. Thank you for checking in with me again, guys. Bal Muhammad defends his UFC Welterweight championship this weekend at UFC 315 against Jack Della. Madeleina, make sure you hit the buy button on ESPN plus pay per View and tap into everything that the bully's doing. Until next time like subscribe, tell your friends about my YouTube channel and I got friends like B B Muhammad checking in with me. I almost call you Bahal. Till next time. Peace.
Daniel Cormier
This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. When you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really does have your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. Visit totalwireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless Store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G capable device and a 5G service area. Additional terms apply. See website for details.
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Bilal Muhammad
You're listening to an Iheart podcast.
Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: Daniel Cormier TV - Belal Muhammad on Jack Della Maddalena, Joaquin Buckley, Edwards BEEF
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, host Bilal Muhammad engages in an in-depth conversation with fellow mixed martial artists Michael Chiesa and special guest Daniel Cormier. The discussion revolves around Muhammad's upcoming title defense against Jack Della Maddalena, his views on the current UFC welterweight division, and personal insights into his journey as a champion.
Perseverance and Support System
Bilal Muhammad reflects on his journey to becoming the UFC welterweight champion, emphasizing the importance of self-belief and a strong support system. At [02:26], Muhammad states:
“For me, it was always to keep the people around me that kept pushing me, to keep people around me that wanted the best of me. Like, even when I lost, even when I got into the UFC and I started one and two. Yeah, those people around me, they stay the course. We're gonna get it.”
He highlights his faith and religious practices as pivotal factors that provided him with patience and mental strength during challenging times, particularly when facing setbacks such as early career losses.
Health Challenges and Resilience
Muhammad shares a harrowing experience involving a severe staph infection that threatened his career and health. At [07:09], he recounts:
“It was like, bro, what? From a bone infection? He's like, bro, it lit up. And when I had to cancel that fight, it was, like, heartbreaking.”
Despite the dire prognosis, Muhammad remained resilient, relying on his faith and the unwavering support of his team to reclaim his strength and return to the octagon stronger than before. By [08:48], he reflects:
“I mean, for myself, from what I've been through, what I've gone through, I'm on another level now, just mentally strong. It made me that much better, maybe that much physically stronger, too.”
Evaluating Contenders and Matchups
Muhammad provides a critical analysis of his competitors within the welterweight division. When discussing Jack Della Maddalena, he notes Della Maddalena's winning streak and mentality:
“He's gonna break. They all break, right? They all feel that... he's going to have to shoot for a takedown, and I'm just gonna laugh and I'm all right. What do you do next?” [16:54]
He expresses confidence in his ability to counteract Della Maddalena's strategies, emphasizing his own versatility and preparedness.
Joaquin Buckley and Division Flux
The conversation shifts to Joaquin Buckley, with Muhammad expressing skepticism about Buckley's ability to topple Colby Covington:
“I don't. I mean, you're on a two-year hiatus. Buckley's been going hard, right? He's been working, he's been training, fighting well. He's fighting well. He just dominated Kobe and Kamara, went to war with Kobe. So MMA, I'm looking at, like, Buckley's about to knock him out.” [20:54]
Muhammad anticipates Buckley's continued success but remains confident in his own championship prospects.
Podcast Incident with Kamaru Usman
A notable moment in the episode involves a past interaction between Muhammad and former champion Kamaru Usman. Muhammad recounts an incident where Usman asserted he was still the champion during a podcast interview:
“He was like, I'm the champion. Anything you do, I do better. And I was like, you don't take the head kick better than...” [19:32]
This confrontation highlights the shifting dynamics within the UFC's leadership and the personal rivalries that can arise even among top fighters.
Continuous Improvement and Adaptation
Muhammad discusses his approach to training, emphasizing the importance of evolution and adapting new techniques:
“We constantly evolve. Like, the gym, we're not settled on, 'Okay now, we're good.' Take your foot off the gas. I'm training every single day. I'm getting better every single day.” [05:36]
He credits training partners and the high-caliber environment of his gym for his ongoing improvement, incorporating advanced techniques to stay ahead of his competition.
Commitment to Multiple Defenses
When questioned about moving up in weight classes, Muhammad expresses a desire to remain in the welterweight division to secure multiple title defenses:
“I feel like I need at least two or three title defenses.” [17:24]
He emphasizes the importance of solidifying his legacy within his current weight class before considering any move to a higher division.
As the episode concludes, Muhammad reiterates his focus on his upcoming fight against Jack Della Maddalena, emphasizing his readiness and determination to defend his title successfully. The camaraderie and mutual respect among the fighters are evident, despite past conflicts and rivalries.
Belief and Support:
“For me, it was always to keep the people around me that kept pushing me...” [03:03]
Overcoming Adversity:
“I am the best version. I am. Right. That was at 5 am...” [05:17]
Confidence in Skills:
“He's gonna break... I'm gonna laugh and I'm all right.” [16:54]
Resilience Post-Infection:
“I'm on another level now, just mentally strong.” [08:48]
Championship Mindset:
“I need at least two or three title defenses.” [17:24]
This episode provides a comprehensive look into Belal Muhammad's mindset as the UFC welterweight champion, his strategies for maintaining dominance in a highly competitive division, and the personal challenges he has overcome to achieve and sustain his status. Muhammad's emphasis on continuous improvement, faith, and a strong support system offers listeners an inspiring narrative of resilience and dedication in the world of mixed martial arts.