Islam Makhachev gets fiery message from Belal Muhammad as Dagestani awaits UFC 315 outcome

The pound-for-pound ace Islam Makhachev gets a warning from Belal Muhammad ahead of the welterweight title fight at UFC 315.

Islam Makhachev gets fiery message from Belal Muhammad as Dagestani awaits UFC 315 outcome

Belal Muhammad warns Islam Makhachev to look for another fight (via X/Imago)

From brothers to potential rivals, the drama between Belal Muhammad and Islam Makhachev has suddenly taken a very unexpected turn. For the longest time, the Dagestani fighter patiently waited for his opportunity to move up divisions and claim his second championship belt. However, with Muhammad as the reigning champion, that seemed impossible—until things recently escalated.

Makhachev has already defended his lightweight title four times and has very few years in his professional career. Reports suggest Makhachev and his team are waiting for the UFC 315 main event between  Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. While Makhachev might want JDM to win, Muhammad strongly believes that the Dagestani will be disappointed this weekend. 

Now they’re waiting to see what happens this weekend, but I would get your fight signed because I’m not leaving Montreal without the belt. I’m still gonna be the champ, so start your camp right now. Whoever you have in line, you’re good.

Belal Muhammad via Anik and Florian Podcast 

Muhammad has always shown deep respect toward Islam Makhachev due to his strong relationship with Khabib Nurmagomedov and their team. He has frequently refused to fight Makhachev, while the pound-for-pound number one hasn’t directly denied the potential matchup publicly. Although Nurmagomedov once said that he didn’t want Muhammad versus Makhachev, that situation has clearly changed significantly with the passing time.

Makhachev is currently linked to a possible fight against Ilia Topuria, maybe scheduled for UFC’s International Fight Week event. However, he has no interest in facing the Georgian-Spanish star after already defeating Alexander Volkanovski in back-to-back contests. Among the current top five UFC lightweights, the dominant Dagestani champion has already beaten the majority of those top contenders.

Given the current landscape, Makhachev’s move to welterweight seems inevitable, and top contenders like Ian Garry are already expressing interest. If Della Maddalena defeats Muhammad, his first title shot could come against the dominant lightweight champion. But if the welterweight champion retains his belt, it could lead to a very intriguing situation. 

Belal Muhammad can be challenging for Islam Makhachev 

Belal Muhammad had to overcome many tough, elite competitors before finally earning his long-awaited title shot at the UFC 304 event. He faced Leon Edwards and managed to completely shut down the UK fighter’s strengths, both physically and mentally. The dominant, brutal beatdown brought newfound attention to Muhammad, who was once considered a boring fighter.

Belal Muhammad vs. Islam Makhachev analysis
Belal Muhammad vs. Islam Makhachev analysis (via X)

Muhammad lacks finishing abilities, which draws frequent criticism and often causes people to undermine his impressive career accomplishments. However, his relentless cardio and pressure allow him to outwork opponents throughout long, grueling fights. In a recent interview, former training partner Beneil Dariush explained how Muhammad’s cardio could potentially overwhelm even Islam Makhachev.

I think there are guys who could be very difficult for him actually Belal would be very difficult…His cardio is fantastic…Technically he is so proficient, he doesn’t make big mistakes, very difficult to deal with and if you don’t have some kind of supernatural cardio you’re gonna get tired.

Beneil Dariush via InsideFighting 

Dariush also mentioned that other top welterweight fighters, such as Kamaru Usman, Shavkat Rakhmonov can create problems for Makhachev. However, the pound-for-pound number one is regarded as a big lightweight and walks around at 180 pounds. Given his unmatched grappling and ever-developing striking, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Makhachev dominate the welterweight division.