In a weekend packed with title fights, grudge matches and triumphant returns, it seems like an impossible task to stand out while making your UFC debut. Former Titan FC Welterweight Champion and UFC rookie Belal “Remember the Name” Muhammad is confident that he will leave his mark on the biggest weekend in MMA history.
“It’s gonna be a really action packed fight, and I feel like we’re going to steal the show from all the shows this weekend,” Muhammad told Bloody Elbow. “I think on Sunday they’ll be talking about the Belal Muhammad/Alan Jouban fight.”
Muhammad is full of confidence coming off of the biggest win of his career, a TKO stoppage of Steve Carl at Titan FC 38. The win improved his perfect record to 9-0, and earned him a call up to the UFC.
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. I’ve been waiting to put on a show and show people what I’m capable of. People will remember my name after this fight.”
Muhammad is insistent that he is not looking for easy fights in the UFC. He told Bloody Elbow that plans were in motion to fight Rick Story after Tarec Saffiedine sustained an injury that almost took him out of the match up.
“I feel like building myself up, I didn’t want to fight any cans. I didn’t want to fill my record fighting scrubs, I wanted to fight the best in the world. My goal isn’t to make it to the UFC, it’s to be champion.”
The South Side, Chicago native says that being raised in a tough environment has prepared him mentally for these types of challenges.
“I think it helped me a lot because I feel like in the cage, mentality is the biggest thing. The fight game is about 90% mental game. I’ve seen guys with all the talent in the world and break down on fight night. Chicago’s a tough place to be man. You have to be tough and it makes you tough right away.”
Belal Muhammad vs. Alan Joubain is one of four fights on the main card of UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Alvarez, airing this Thursday on UFC Fight Pass. The headliner is a Lightweight title fight between current UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos and two time Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez.