Belal Muhammad has warned the UFC middleweight division that he might be moving up to face the winner of the next title fight.
Dricus Du Plessis is set to defend his title against Khamzat Chimaev later this year, likely in Abu Dhabi this October. The 185lb champion has a number of suitors for his belt, including Alex Pereira and others, including Muhammad.
The welterweight champion’s focus is currently on UFC 315 and Jack Della Maddalena. But should he get through that, he may be willing to move up in weight and go for another belt in a brand new division.
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Belal Muhammad threatens to move up for UFC middleweight title showdown
While he still has a number of contenders at welterweight since defeating Leon Edwards for the belt last year, Belal Muhammad is not shy about his plans in the future. While his teammate Islam Makhachev ponders a move up to 170lb, he too is keen on a switch in time.
He first must get through his first title challenger, who has stepped in after Shavkat Rakhmonov was forced out with injury. But afterwards, he told MMA Junkie, he would consider heading up and facing the winner of Dricus Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev.
“I know what I’ve got to do first,” he explained. “I’ve got to win a couple more fights and then I can start talking about going up. We’ll see if [Du Plessis] still has the belt at that time, he’s got a tough test in front of him with Khamzat.
“I don’t think he’s going to get past Khamzat but maybe I still go up there anyway to smack him around. I love that energy when people say ‘oh he’s too small’ because I get that even at 170lb because I’m not the biggest, strongest or fastest. What I am is the best and if I go up to middleweight I’ll be the best as well.”
Belal Muhammad refusing to look past Jack Della Madalena
Before he can even consider moving up in weight, Muhammad would need to snap yet another undefeated streak in the welterweight division. He ended Sean Brady’s unbeaten run and dethroned Leon Edwards who had lost just once under the UFC banner to get his belt.
“The landscape is going to happen regardless of what we do or say and I’ve got a tough task ahead of me with JDM,” he continued. “We’ll go from there, I never like to look way too far ahead because you have all these plans but then God has a plan.
“My plan was to beat Shavkat in December, it didn’t happen. Then to beat him in May and it didn’t happen so my eyes are on someone else, I’m locked in on him, he’s my bullseye right now and it’s all I’m worried about.”
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