Belal Muhammad hasn’t had the most linear road to be a UFC Champion. Raised in Chicago to Palestinian parents, like many combat athletes, his career began as a wrestler. His thick build and courage in the ring served him well, but initially, life had other plans. He went to law school, but quickly found that his ability to crush the opposition was better tailored for a martial arts gym rather than the court room.
Effortlessly rag-dolling every man put in front of him, soon enough Dana White came knocking in 2016. After eight years in the UFC, slowly climbing the ladder he was granted a title shot. His dominant performance over Leon Edwards was shocking, and overnight, the entire world now knew him as the new Welterweight Champion.
Despite losing his first title defense to the Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena, Muhammad had already made history as the first ever Palestinian UFC Champion. And this weekend he’ll make history yet again as he fights in the co-main event of UFC Qatar, the first ever event held in the country. Muhammad will face the biggest trash talker to come out of Ireland since Conor McGregor, the young, lanky, viciously ferocious, Ian Garry.
Esquire: How does it feel to be the co-main event of the first ever UFC event held in Qatar?
Belal Muhammad: It feels amazing. The fans are here for me. I’ve never been to Qatar before but I’ve been out here a few weeks now and it’s just amazing. The people. The hospitality. The energy. Everything is great. I just heard the call to prayer over the speakers. Just such a calm, peaceful mindset. In my last fight (which lost him the Welterweight championship), I was too distracted by so many external things that I wasn’t focused. Now all I’m thinking about is Ian Garry. I’m going to decide where this fight goes. I’m going to do whatever I want to him.
Esquire: What did you think of the brawl between Dillon Danis and half of Dagestan that broke out in the UFC bleachers last weekend?
To give some context, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu master turned boxer (who got pummeled by Logan Paul), Dillon Danis, gained notoriety a few years ago for training Conor McGregor leading up to his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Understandably, Danis is no friend to the Dagestanis, and last weekend at UFC 322 in New York City, Danis got into a massive brawl with every single one of Islam Makhachev’s teammates…not a wise decision, especially since Dana White instantly professed, “You will never see Dillon Danis at a UFC event ever again.” Yikes.
Belal Muhammad: That guy is a dork. I have no idea why that dude is still walking around running his mouth. He’s accomplished nothing, and just leeches off of people with stupid comments and he deserves to get beat up. But that’s the world we live in today, where losers like that can get popular.
Esquire: What do you think should be done to solve the recurring issue of dangerous eye-pokes, and do you think the UFC gloves should be permanently altered?
Again, for context, just a few weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, the UFC Heavyweight championship title fight between Tom Aspinall and Cyril Gane was cut short due to a horrific eye poke sustained from Aspinall, rendering him practically blind and unable to continue. This has long been a contentious subject in the sport, one that has yet to find an answer. Belal is no stranger to this himself, as his first fight against Leon Edwards back in 2021 was also cut short due to an eye poke, rendering Muhammad unable to continue. Many fans call this instance one of the nastiest eye pokes in UFC history, as Edwards’ finger literally hooked inside Muhammad’s eyelid.
Belal Muhammad: You need to get a point taken away immediately if you poke someone in the eye. This will make people train differently. Guys right now aren’t getting repercussions. You’ll get a point deducted after maybe two eye pokes, but at that point the damage is already done. I don’t care who you are, if you get poked in the eye, you’re not going to be the same fighter you were before that. It messes up momentum, your vision, everything.
Esquire: On that note, how much of trash talk is personal and how much is business? Have you ever genuinely hated a fighter before stepping into the cage?
Belal Muhammad: I like trash talk! I’m from Chicago and I have a lot of brothers, so when there’s trash talk that just makes me work all the harder because I know that if I lose you’re going to hold it over me. Leon is definitely the fighter I’ve had the most hatred for leading up to the fight, and Ian Garry is the second. Fighting nice guys is hard!
Esquire: How important is your Palestinian heritage to you?
Belal Muhammad: It’s everything for me. Us as a people, we’re born fighters. The biggest thing we have is heart. Being born with Palestinian heart, grit and courage already makes me tougher than all these other guys.
Esquire: Is there any other fighter you really want to put a beating on?
Belal Muhammad: Definitely Kamaru Usman. I already slapped him once. That guys been running from me since he’s been champion, so I definitely want to beat him up.
Esquire: Is there something you wish fans knew about you outside of the cage?
Belal Muhammad: I think the average person doesn’t know how funny I am.
Belal Muhammad fights Ian Garry in the co-main event at UFC Qatar at the ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar on November 22, 2025. Get tickets here.
