The decision by Ilia Topuria, boasting an impressive 16-0 record, to relinquish his featherweight title and move up to lightweight in pursuit of his second championship belt continues to spark debate. Recently, UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad weighed in on the matter, criticizing Topuria for leaving the featherweight division too soon. As a gym mate and friend of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Muhammad’s comments on ‘El Matador’ were far from diplomatic. He believes Topuria should have waited at least one or two more fights before making the jump, echoing the sentiments of Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In a recent interview with the ‘BelieveYouMePodcast’, Muhammad expressed his disapproval of Topuria’s decision to vacate the featherweight title. It’s worth noting that Topuria won the title in February 2024 by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski and successfully defended it against Max Holloway, whom he also knocked out last October. With two significant victories under his belt, ‘El Matador’ has set his sights on higher goals, aiming to become the pound-for-pound number one. “If you had those two big wins against Volkanovski and Holloway, but there are still other guys in the division before you say ‘I’ve done everything I had to do at 145, I want to move up,'” Muhammad explained.
This situation has a direct connection to Movsar Evloev, who, despite being undefeated with a 19-0 record, has yet to receive a title shot in the featherweight division due to the low viewership of his fights. As a Russian fighter and friend of the ‘Nurmagomedov Clan’, they had previously requested Evloev as Topuria’s next opponent before the latter made his decision to leave the division. “At the end of the day, you defended the title once, and I don’t think that’s enough,” Muhammad concluded.
The tension between Ilia Topuria and Belal Muhammad is not a new development. Months ago, ‘El Matador’ labeled the Palestinian fighter as a “hick,” and in an Instagram live session, he had some harsh words for Muhammad, calling him a “false champion” and an “impostor.” Topuria predicted that Kamaru Usman would return and easily reclaim the welterweight title. Naturally, Muhammad didn’t remain silent, defining Topuria as the “Georgian version of Colby Covington.”
The feud reached its peak with Ilia’s viral tweet, where he mockingly listed Belal’s lack of achievements, saying, “No finishes, no knockouts, no knockdowns, no girlfriend, no kids… Belal has never finished any man or woman.” Since then, every time one of them mentions the other, it’s to escalate the beef. It’s also worth remembering that Ilia has expressed his desire to become a triple champion after winning the lightweight title, with Islam Makhachev being his desired opponent for now. Meanwhile, the rivalry between him and Belal continues to unfold as a parallel story.
A Long-Standing Rivalry
The bad blood between Ilia Topuria and Belal Muhammad is no surprise. The two have been at odds for months, with Topuria previously calling Muhammad a “paleto” and a “false champion.” The tension between them is palpable, with each exchange fueling the fire. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is certain – the rivalry between Ilia Topuria and Belal Muhammad will be a story to watch in the world of UFC.
“Belal is a false champion. He’s an impostor.” – Ilia Topuria, in an Instagram live session
With the stakes higher than ever, the UFC community is eagerly awaiting the next development in this ongoing feud. Will Ilia Topuria achieve his goal of becoming a triple champion, or will Belal Muhammad prove to be a formidable obstacle in his path? Only time will tell, but for now, the rivalry between these two fighters continues to simmer, waiting to boil over into something more.