UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov recently shared his thoughts on the potential matchup between his training partner, Islam Makhachev, and welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Speaking on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman, Nurmagomedov admitted that preparing Makhachev for a fight against Muhammad would be extremely challenging.
Nurmagomedov emphasized that “it would be very hard to prepare somebody to beat Belal.” He pointed out that Muhammad’s well-rounded skill set makes him a difficult opponent to game plan against. According to Nurmagomedov, “If you want to beat Belal, you have to stop him.” He explained that simply taking Muhammad down and controlling him for 25 minutes is not enough, as Muhammad is proficient in both wrestling and striking.
“It’s very hard to control him for 25 minutes,” Nurmagomedov said. “Second, it’s very hard to dominate him on striking game in all 25 minutes because he mixes it up. He doesn’t stay with you all 25 minutes. He wrestles and strikes, wrestles and strikes. He is good.”
Why Doesn’t Khabib Nurmagomedov Want Islam Makhachev to Fight Belal Muhammad?
Khabib Nurmagomedov also expressed his discomfort with the idea of Makhachev fighting Muhammad, given their close relationship and Muhammad’s status as a friend and training partner. He suggested that Muhammad should face Kamaru Usman instead, believing that Usman deserves the opportunity to fight for the title.
“I think I want to see that fight (Muhammad vs. Usman),” Nurmagomedov said. “I want to see it because Kamaru deserves this. People can say whatever they want. Kamaru deserves this fight.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s insights provide valuable perspective on the challenges of preparing for a fighter like Belal Muhammad and highlight the complexities of potential matchups in the welterweight division.