Censorship flub? Belal Muhammad bizarrely listed without Palestinian flag on UFC 315 official website

Palestinian-American UFC 170-pound champion Belal Muhammad and his country's representation were snubbed by UFC crew ahead of UFC 315 PPV.

Censorship flub? Belal Muhammad bizarrely listed without Palestinian flag on UFC 315 official website

Palestinian-American Belal Muhammad snubbed off representation by UFC crew before UFC 315 (Source: X)

Belal Muhammad is a Southside Chicago, Illinois native but is very proud of his Palestinian heritage. Both of his parents emigrated from Palestine. Hence, “Remember The Name” is often seen carrying the Palestinian flag at weigh-ins, or before and after his fights. Muhammad defends his welterweight title in a headlining spot at the main event of UFC 315 PPV on May 10 at Bell Centre.

Belal Muhammad is a part of the Team Palestine 4 PCRF Nonprofit. PCRF – Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. UFC 304 Countdown – Full Episode on the promotion’s official YT channel sees the Palestinian-American saying the love for his roots and struggles has kept him going for so long. Muhammad often squabbles with brazen loudmouth peer Sean Strickland over Palestinian issues as well. Hence, it was quite odd that UFC’s official website did not list him along with the Palestinian flag!

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Fans have been fuming on chatboards that of the 16 athletes on the UFC 315 page, Muhammad is the only one without a flag logo next to his name. If he had an American flag and representation, it’d mean he chose his Southside Chicago side. However, the running consensus is that he chose to rep Palestine and got outright denied by litigation and media crew.

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UFC brass has been playing hopscotch on issues about athletes’ representation and flags. The Israel-Palestine conflict and theater of war have only prolonged that. Veteran MMA journo Luke Thomas even iterated the example of Kron Gracie to support some moniker of country representation. UFC’s policy on free speech and abhorrent pressers might not share the same leg space about national representation, it seems. Muhammad has yet to comment on it; he has UFC 315 to look forward to.

Champ Belal Muhammad warns 170-pound challenger Jack Della Maddalena ahead of UFC 315 scrap

UFC 170-pound king Belal Muhammad had a tough climb to title crack. He put on quite a streak (albeit one serious poke) to get his opportunity. “Bully Belal’s” UFC 304 PPV title performance was quite a thing, with him jabbing, spiking, pounding, and grappling dominantly. Now, Muhammad is out to show Jack Della Maddalena that he’s a different kind of beast in this game of MMA.

Belal Muhammad douses hard challenge UFC 315 title challenger
Belal Muhammad douses hard challenge UFC 315 title challenger (Source: X/IMAGO)

The duo soon meets atop the UFC 315 PPV event headliner, which goes down on the May 10 card at Bell Centre. Fighters recently attended the kickoff presser with UFC executive Dave Shaw, just a cycle ago. Muhammad is aware of the struggles his upcoming challenger has faced on his rise. But now, he douses quite the challenge:

I’m never a guy to underestimate anybody, …I like to overestimate my opponents. So for me, you’ve had 14 months; you better have gotten better — [but]Like I said, there’s levels to this. I’m not Bassil Hafez. I’m not Gilbert Burns. When you get in the cage with me, you’re going to realize, ‘Dang, this is why he’s the champion. 

Belal Muhammad to MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn durign UFC 315 kickoff presser

The champ said he wasn’t underestimating Della Maddalena’s grappling challenges or shortfalls. The Aussie man is undefeated with a 17-fight winning streak. JDM’s crisp standup game is also something to behold. But Muhammad just touts himself much better.

Related: Dana White activates ‘Canelo hands’ with surprising Belal Muhammad announcement