Belal Muhammad and Islam Makhachev, one holds the welterweight crown, the other rules at lightweight. But despite fan pressure and UFC matchmaking dreams, there’s one fight that won’t be happening, Muhammad vs Makhachev for the welterweight throne. It’s not about timing or injuries. It’s about loyalty.
And that’s a problem UFC boss Dana White can’t solve. The UFC CEO has made it clear in the past—when teammates refuse to fight each other, he’s not a fan. “Why did you even get into this sport if that’s your mentality?” White once said in response to Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling refusing to fight. And now, he’s watching the same situation unfold again.
Islam Makhachev has been sitting on the sidelines since defending his lightweight belt against Renato Moicano at UFC 311. The Dagestani juggernaut has made it clear, he’s now aiming for the elusive ‘champ-champ’ status in the promotion. But there’s a wall in his path, and its name is Belal Muhammad. Only this wall doesn’t want to be torn down. It wants to step aside, respectfully.
In a recent interview with ‘Submission Radio’, Muhammad confessed, “I wouldn’t fight [Islam]. Their team has done so much for me, they’ve helped me so much. It wouldn’t be worth it for me to fight those guys. There’s way too much respect and loyalty on my end.”
Loyalty runs deep in MMA, but titles? They don’t wait for friendships to play out.
‘Remember the Name’ even hinted at a solution to avoid colliding with Makhachev as he further shared, “There are guys in that division who make sense. Justin Gaethje makes sense… Paddy Pimblett came off a huge finish, he has a big name…Charles Oliveira is waiting for a rematch…there’s plenty of guys.”
So, where does that leave Dana White’s plans? According to Joe Rogan, speaking on episode #166 of the JRE MMA Show alongside Ilia Topuria, “He (White) was telling me all the issues that they’re having with different fights, he was actually specifically talking about what happens if Belal [Muhammad] wins [his next fight]. Islam and Belal have been— they’ve been talking about Islam fighting Belal.”
Due to Shavkat Rakhmonov suffering from an injury, ‘Remember the Name’ is currently set to defend the welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. Yet, the Makhachev dilemma remains unsolved.
A champion with few logical matchups, blocked by honor and loyalty on one side and risk-averse matchmaking on the other. If Muhammad beats Della Maddalena, he cements his reign. But he also ignites a question the UFC and Dana White can’t ignore: What does Islam Makhachev do next?
Ilia Topuria drops massive bombshell as Belal Muhammad doubles down on refusal to fight Islam Makhachev
Just when the welterweight waters got murky, the lightweight skies cracked open with lightning. After weeks of campaigning and getting a cold response from the Dagestani champion, Ilia Topuria sent rumbles through the MMA sphere with just 4-words on social media. Taking to X, ‘La Leyenda’ wrote, “the camp has begun”!
Minutes later, Spanish reporter Alvaro Colmenero dropped the real bombshell—Topuria will headline UFC 317 for a title fight.
Makhachev, the silent storm from Dagestan, is hunting his fifth title defense. Topuria? He’s fire and flair, fresh off savage knockouts over Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski. Not many dare to say it, but this might be the best fight the UFC and Dana White can book right now.
So, where does the puzzle piece fall now? Islam Makhachev may have a war ahead of him at UFC 317. If he wins, his grip on the lightweight crown tightens, his legend grows, and the call to chase double gold at welterweight becomes louder. But with Belal Muhammad holding the line and holding firm in his loyalty, that door may remain locked.
Will Islam Makhachev return to his welterweight quest after he takes care of business at UFC 317? Or will Dana White and the UFC pivot to something that no one sees coming? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post Belal Muhammad Spoils Dana White’s Big UFC Plan as Islam Makhachev’s Dilemma Remains Unsolved appeared first on EssentiallySports.
