Newly crowned UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad silenced his critics today with a stunning performance against Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in Manchester. His hard work, coupled with training earlier this year in Dagestan with MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, paid off. Since retiring in 2020, Khabib has coached in Dagestan, producing champions like Islam Makhachev.
This win caught the eye of his short-term coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is currently spending time in the UAE. In an Instagram story, Nurmagomedov praised Muhammad’s victory and recognized his coach’s hard work. Nurmagomedov wrote,
“You deserve it Brother My congratulations. I’m very happy for. You and for your Coach. Hands up You are the World Champion.”
Further in the story, the MMA-oriented page @Home_OF_Fight spiced things up by revealing a new detail. They claimed ‘The Eagle’ “broke down” Leon Edwards as a fighter to develop a winning strategy for Belal Muhammad. This revelation excited fans, as fighters trained by Khabib Nurmagomedov, have consistently displayed well-crafted game plans, as seen when Islam Makhachev successfully defended his UFC lightweight title against Dustin Poirier for the third time at UFC 302.
This post captured the attention of MMA fans worldwide, who flooded the comments section to discuss Khabib Nurmagomedo’s enduring influence on the UFC. Even without being actively involved as a fighter, his impact was undeniably crucial to Belal Muhamamd’s victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304.
Fans prasie Khabib Nurmagomedov’s plan for Belal Muhammad
A fan in the comments linked Khabib Nurmagomedov to a GTA cheat code,” echoing the sentiment of those who’ve previously referred to him as a “remote control” for Islam Makhachev. The fan commented, ” Khabib is like using a video game.” Another fan delved into the hypothetical scenarios, questioning what might have been had “The Eagle” not retired. suggesting “Dagestani native” could have dominated the welterweight division, the fan commented, “Khabib would have rolled through this division.”
This sentiment was echoed by another commenter who also claimed, “Khabib would’ve smoked the entire welterweight division.” The speculation was likely fueled by “The Eagle’s” early retirement due to his father’s passing leaving many to ponder his potential dominance in other weight classes. Meanwhile, the “cheat code” fan hadn’t stopped yet, with another commenter repeating the sentiment, “Khabib would’ve smoked the entire welterweight division.” Another fan chimed in suggesting that the former champion’s influence on the sport continues even without him fighting. They commented, “Proof that Khabib would still dominate in the modern era.”
However, there were also some entirely negative comments questioning the submission’s grappling fighting style. Echoing a past criticism by Nate Diaz, who called Khabib Nurmagomedov “not a real fighter,” a fan commented, “Gameplan: hug him until the bell rings and you win.”
Another fan went off-topic and commented, “Focus on the Russian authority mate.” advising the former champion to first pay off his million-dollar tax, which is more than the $3.4 million he allegedly owes. This fan claimed the former champion was on the run to the UAE, taking citizenship there to protect himself from Russian tax authorities who had seized his accounts and property in Dagestan.
What’s your view on Belal Muhammad’s win today at UFC 304? Do you think he truly leveled up training with Khabib Nurmagomedov, or was it simply his own hard work and determination that led to his nine-fighting winning streak and eventual title victory?