vs
-450 +333
UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns · Feb 13, 2021 · Welterweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns Next Fight
Age 37
Height 5' 11"
Reach 72.0"
Weight 170 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 37
Height 6' 2"
Reach 75.0"
Weight 170 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Belal Muhammad
4.43 SLpM
43.0% Str. Acc.
3.82 SApM
55.0% Str. Def.
2.14 TD Avg
36.0% TD Acc.
90.0% TD Def.
0.1 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Dhiego Lima
3.12 SLpM
39.0% Str. Acc.
3.88 SApM
58.0% Str. Def.
1.26 TD Avg
34.0% TD Acc.
73.0% TD Def.
0.6 Sub. Avg
Belal Muhammad
Moneyline
BetWay -450
KO/TKO
BetWay +400
Submission
BetWay +600
Decision
BetWay -138
Dhiego Lima
Moneyline
BetWay +333
KO/TKO
BetWay +800
Submission
BetWay +1200
Decision
BetWay +600
Belal Muhammad - Fight History
SCHED vs Gabriel Bonfim
13
138 MMA Expert Confident picked May 30, 2026 (7 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The host picks Belal Muhammad, citing his pace and cardio over five rounds as the deciding factor. He acknowledges that Bonfim is more technical and skilled, but believes Muhammad's relentless forward pressure and grappling will wear Bonfim down, especially in the later rounds. He notes that Bonfim's lone loss came to a pace-pusher in a three-round fight, and now he faces five rounds of Muhammad.

"I'm going to take Belal to get this done."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident picked Jun 1, 2026 (5 days before fight)
Gabriel Bonfim

AJ picks Bonfim to win, citing his youth, precise striking, leg kicks, and jiu-jitsu. He believes Bonfim's footwork and accuracy will trouble Muhammad, and that Muhammad's wrestling edge is negated by Bonfim's grappling. AJ expects Bonfim to do damage on the feet and possibly win by decision or late finish.

over 3.5 rounds minus 175; Bonfim by decision or KO
"I'm going with Gabriel Bonef to beat the side of Balor Muhammad... I think Bonef is going to be bit too quick for Bal Muhammad."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident picked May 30, 2026 (7 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

AJ believes Belal Muhammad will bounce back from recent losses to top competition, using his wrestling and control time to neutralize Gabriel Bonfim. He notes Bonfim's height advantage and striking volume but questions his takedown defense (76%) compared to Muhammad's (90%). AJ acknowledges the risk of Muhammad's age and recent striking deficits but expects a rebound win, possibly by decision.

fight might go to decision
"I think Bal Muhammad bounces back in a big way. Uh, you know, it might go to a decision though."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Hesitant picked Jun 3, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Gabriel Bonfim

AJ picks Gabriel Bonfim but acknowledges the risk due to Bonfim's cardio concerns. He believes Bonfim is the better striker with dangerous weapons and could hurt Belal Muhammad early, but Muhammad could overwhelm him if the fight goes long. AJ sees pathways for Bonfim to win but calls it a close fight.

Gabriel Bonfim plus 100 underdog line mentioned, Bonfim finish chance early (implied), Belal Muhammad win over 2.5 rounds (implied)
"I am picking Bonef. I really like his striking."
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 31, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Angelo picks Belal Muhammad, believing he will slow the pace and use his wrestling to grind out a win. He notes Muhammad's toughness, cardio, and ability to outwork opponents. He thinks Muhammad needs to make the fight boring and avoid giving Bonfim room to strike. He has never seen Muhammad break, while Bonfim has been broken before.

"Balam Muhammad needs to avoid giving Gabriel the room to breathe, the room to throw. We have seen Gabriel Brafen be broken. I have never seen Bal Muhammad break."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 3, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Big Brady picks Belal Muhammad to win by decision. He highlights Muhammad's elite durability and takedown defense, and thinks the five-round fight favors Muhammad's cardio. He doubts Bonfim can take Muhammad down or knock him out, and expects Muhammad to take over as the fight goes on. He also notes that Bonfim's recent wins are questionable.

by decision
"Balam Muhammad by by decision for me."
BU
Bum MMA Expert Confident picked May 30, 2026 (7 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Belal Muhammad has heart and a great gas tank, and he will push the pace to win a close decision. Gabriel Bonfim is overrated, with a controversial win over Stephen Thompson and a loss to Nicolas Dalby. Bonfim tends to not push the gas pedal, while Muhammad will outwork him.

decision win; odds: Belal -140 favorite
"I think Bal is just going to push more and win a 3-2 decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 3, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Cody picks Belal Muhammad, emphasizing that the longer the fight goes, the more it favors Muhammad due to Bonfim's poor cardio and lack of durability. He notes Bonfim is explosive early but fades, and Muhammad has proven five-round cardio and durability. He suggests live betting Muhammad after the first two rounds for better value.

Live betting after first two rounds for better value
"I'm taking blah Muhammad, but you're going to get a much better number after the first two rounds."
FI
Fight Night Picks Expert Confident picked May 31, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Belal Muhammad is picked due to his superior cardio and pressure, which will break Gabriel Bonfim over five rounds. The host notes Bonfim's only loss was to Nicolas Dalby, who maintained a high pace, and Belal's boxing and wrestling are better. He sees Belal winning by unanimous decision or late stoppage, as Bonfim's submission skills are from top position and Belal is good at avoiding danger. The host is not sold on Bonfim as a prospect and believes Belal's championship experience is key.

Belal Muhammad wins by unanimous decision or later stage stoppage; likes him at -140
"I think Bal Muhammad is still a championship caliber uh type of fighter. I've always been on the opposite end of the Gabrielle Bonfam hype train."
GR
Greedo Plays MMA Expert Confident picked May 30, 2026 (7 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Muhammad's wrestling and cardio are elite, and Bonfim has never faced a wrestler of his caliber. Bonfim's takedown defense is questionable, as he was taken down by lesser fighters. Muhammad should control the fight for 25 minutes and win a unanimous decision.

unanimous decision
"I'm going to go with Bal remember the name Muhammad to beat Gabrielle Bonfam in the Apex this Saturday by unanimous decision."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked May 30, 2026 (7 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Lucrative James picks Belal Muhammad despite the 10-year age disadvantage, citing Belal's superior experience, gas tank, and wrestling. He believes Bonfim is a 'finish or bust' fighter who will fade after the first couple of rounds, and that Belal's durability and veteran savvy will allow him to survive early submission threats and take over in later rounds. He predicts a round 4 or 5 knockout via ground and pound.

Belal Muhammad via KO in round 4 or 5
"I will be picking as you can guess Bal Muhammad at 37 years old against the up and coming hungry 28-year-old. I'm going to pick him to win the fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 1, 2026 (5 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Muhammad's high pace, durability, and cardio should overwhelm Bonfim, who has cardio issues. Bonfim's best chance is an early stoppage, but if it reaches the third round, Muhammad will take over and likely get a TKO in round 4.

Muhammad by TKO in round 4
"I think if this reaches the third round, that means that Bal is able to survive the power of Bombfi and has been successful in terms of implementing his pace."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Jun 3, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Paul picks Belal Muhammad but is hesitant, noting Bonfim could land something early. He prefers to watch live and has placed prop bets on Muhammad winning in rounds 4 and 5 at high odds, expecting Muhammad's cardio to prevail in later rounds.

Round 4 prop at +2400, Round 5 prop at +3400
"I don't really have any inclination to get hyperinvested in below Muhammad at minus 120 pre flop, but definitely a fight like you that I'll be paying attention to very much live."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker · Nov 22, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 56 of 139 40% 97 of 197 0 of 7 0% 0 0 3:35
Ian Machado Garry 0 72 of 141 51% 96 of 167 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:39
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 24 of 57 42% 30 of 69 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:40
Ian Machado Garry 0 27 of 53 50% 31 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Belal Muhammad 0 11 of 33 33% 28 of 58 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:49
Ian Machado Garry 0 20 of 39 51% 35 of 56 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
3 Belal Muhammad 0 21 of 49 42% 39 of 70 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:06
Ian Machado Garry 0 25 of 49 51% 30 of 54 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:33
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 56 of 139 40% 45 of 126 8 of 9 3 of 4 52 of 131 4 of 8 0 of 0
Ian Machado Garry 72 of 141 51% 35 of 98 10 of 15 27 of 28 66 of 134 6 of 7 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 24 of 57 42% 17 of 49 5 of 5 2 of 3 23 of 55 1 of 2 0 of 0
Ian Machado Garry 27 of 53 50% 14 of 36 2 of 5 11 of 12 27 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Belal Muhammad 11 of 33 33% 9 of 30 2 of 3 0 of 0 10 of 30 1 of 3 0 of 0
Ian Machado Garry 20 of 39 51% 9 of 27 3 of 4 8 of 8 19 of 38 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Belal Muhammad 21 of 49 42% 19 of 47 1 of 1 1 of 1 19 of 46 2 of 3 0 of 0
Ian Machado Garry 25 of 49 51% 12 of 35 5 of 6 8 of 8 20 of 43 5 of 6 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Ian Garry vs. Belal Muhammad
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Garry (-240); Muhammad (+190)

Round 1
Many have complained that this welterweight co-main attraction is not receiving five-round attention given its high stakes and that both men prefer a prolonged engagement. Nonetheless, Muhammad (24-4, 1 NC; 15-4, 1 NC UFC) and Garry (16-1, 9-1 UFC) will have three rounds to work today, meaning that every minute will count that much more. Fully aware that this one could reach the 15-minute mark, referee Rich Mitchell is in it for the long haul. The fighters do not touch gloves, opting to get right down to business.
Muhammad punches his way in, and Garry backs him off with a low kick and one high. Garry gets away with a slight eye scrape, and after a combination, he pushes off and jams his finger into Muhammad’s right eye socket. The few punches he landed have opened a cut beneath Muhammad’s left eye, which is not the one poked. Mitchell calls time and brings in the doctor but does not have a towel or cloth to wipe out the former champ’s eye. Mitchell admonishes the doctor for not bringing in the towel, who then comes in and bizarrely (and improperly) tends to the cut instead of the eye. The fighter cleans his eye out and is ready to go after about 100 seconds. Garry is quick to get right back behind his jab, intercepting Muhammad as he looks to change levels. Garry pushes out a front kick and checks a kick, and Garry’s low kick response is far heavier. Garry fires off a high kick from a safe distance, stay away from Muhammad getting his hands on him. Muhammad tries to cream him with a huge overhand right, missing it by a matter of millimeters. He tries again with the same swinging strike, and it is much more distant this time around. Garry’s jab flusters Muhammad, but he slips and has to scramble to get away. Garry stomps at Muhammad’s knee on the reset.
Muhammad paws out with his own left hand, faking level changes to draw reactions out of his opponent and marking up Garry’s cheek. Muhammad launches a head kick to target that wound, and he crashes forward when that is blocked to tie the Irishman up. Garry escapes, but Muhammad follows him and clips him with his hard right hand. Garry times a left hand that gets Muhammad’s attention, and he manages to lean back to evade the looping strike aimed at his face. Garry pounds the front leg with a kick, and Muhammad counters him with a solid left. Muhammad shoots for a single, spinning Garry around several times but not grounding him. The taller Garry keeps himself upright and puts the wall behind him so that he can rebound and break free, and he looks for spinning strikes as the round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garry
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garry
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garry

Round 2
Garry starts the round off with kicks to the lead knee, his oblique kicks hyperextending the limb when it lands flush. His jabs open a little cut on the bridge of the nose as well, and he catches Muhammad in the midst of an exchange but is nailed with the counter. Garry snaps the head back with a jab, and he leans to not get caught on the way out. Garry doubles up on his jab to plunk Muhammad with a right hand, and he spins with a back kick to the torso to punctuate the combination. Garry lands a hard leg kick, and Muhammad blitzes him with a body lock to take the fight horizontal. Garry splits off before getting dragged down, and Muhammad is warned for his outstretched fingers. Muhammad crashes the pocket again for a takedown, and the two clack heads when up close.
Muhammad puts his hand on the top of the fence illegally and is fussed at a few times before taking it back down, and the clinch continues. Muhammad embraces the grind by pressing as much of his body weight on the Irishman as he can, but Garry breaks free and trades hands with him on the way out. Muhammad shoots for a single, and Garry stifles him and bullies him on the way out. Muhammad bounces off the fence to reset, and he drives a one-two down the pipe. Garry pushes out with both hands, fingers outstretched, and he pokes Muhammad in the eye with at least his left. Mitchell calls time again and demands the doctor come back into the cage with another cloth to let him wipe it out, and Muhammad is irritated about the fouls landing on him again. Rules mean nothing, because Garry is only told to be careful with his fingers after landing multiple eye pokes and already being warned for this as well. Muhammad is good to go after about 75 seconds, and he proceeds to chase down the Irishman letting his hands go. Muhammad drops to a knee to go after a takedown, and he pushes Garry to the fence. Garry shrugs to signal he is just being held in place, so Muhammad knees him in the thigh a few times for good measure. Garry breaks out of the clinch with an elbow right at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garry
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garry
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 3
Muhammad takes a few seconds to charge his battery, and then proceeds to angrily race after Garry with his fists swinging. Garry bounces off the cage wall to get to his preferred range, and he nails Muhammad with a one-two. He follows the effective strike with a front kick that bashes “Remember the Name” in the face. Muhammad can only reply with a single entry, and Garry stops it, ducking away when Muhammad tries for something on the break. Muhammad walks him down and belts him with a vicious right hand, and Garry’s chin is granite after absorbing the blow. Muhammad bullies Garry to the wire when pursuing a takedown, and Garry’s defense holds up while Muhammad gloms onto him. Garry turns him about and has his guard ready to defend the high kick he anticipates.
Garry hurts Muhammad’s front leg with a number of push kicks to the knee, again hyperextending it and torqueing the tendons like overtuned guitar strings about to snap. They spin one another around when finding themselves in a clinch, and Garry is tripped up and bounces back to his feet as if there were springs in his heels. The Irishman walks through a pair of punches to fire back with a vengeance, clipping Muhammad with a right hand and shifting to be just out of range of anticipated counters. Muhammad settles for a clinch try, and Garry splits before long but has his hands down waiting for Muhammad to approach him. This allows Muhammad to pop him in the chops with several fast punches, only to get met with a slashing elbow that would make Jason Voorhees blush. Muhammad holds serve as he tries to give Garry everything he has left, and the two men proceed to go wild with head kicks, spinning stuff, looping punches and anything else they can muster until time expires. This one was very close and scores may vary, but a title shot may not be looming for the victor given the other recent spectacular performances at welterweight for names like Michael Morales and Carlos Prates.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garry (30-27 Garry)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garry (30-27 Garry)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garry (29-28 Garry)

The Official Result
Ian Garry def. Belal Muhammad via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 16, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Angelo picks Ian Garry over Belal Muhammad. He argues that if Garry can defend takedowns, he wins easily due to superior striking, length, speed, and power. Muhammad's only path is wrestling, but he has no Plan B. Garry showed adjustments in his loss to Shavkat, while Muhammad is one-dimensional. Angelo acknowledges the fight is competitive but favors Garry.

"I have to go Ian here."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 19, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Big Brady picks Ian Machado Garry by decision, criticizing Belal Muhammad's fight IQ and game plan. He believes Muhammad will try to strike instead of wrestle, leading to a clear decision loss. He notes Muhammad's tools but doubts his execution.

decision
"I'm going to take Gary. I'm going to take Gary to win this fight by decision."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Nov 19, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Cody picks Ian Garry confidently, noting that Belal Muhammad's wins are aging poorly and that Garry is younger, bigger, and has better takedown defense. He believes Garry can outpoint Muhammad and stuff takedowns, similar to how Michael Morales beat Brady. Cody warns against falling into the trap of hating on Belal, but ultimately sees Garry's advantages.

"I got to go Gary as well, but if you got it at minus 180 - 190 the more you start to fall to this minus 220 - 230 more"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Nov 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Connor picks Garry, citing his size, reach, and athleticism as key advantages over Muhammad. He notes that Muhammad's wins have come against smaller opponents and that Garry's improved striking and clinch work from the Prochazka fight give him confidence. Connor acknowledges Muhammad's tactical skill but doubts his physicality at the elite level.

Garry by decision; fight could be similar to Shavkat vs Garry
"I think I'm going to pick Gary. I think he's big enough and the ball is not physical enough that I trust the ball because I mean, that's the other thing with Gary in that Shopkop fight is I think …"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Nov 16, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Lucrative James picks Ian Garry, citing his superior striking, youth (27 vs 37), and recent grappling improvements shown against Shavkat Rakhmonov. He believes Belal's only path is wrestling, but Garry's takedown defense and scrambling have improved. He notes the 10-year age gap and Garry's momentum. He predicts a decision win for Garry.

"I'm going to go with Ian Gary in this fight, right?"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 18, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Garry is a slick striker with high fight IQ and takedown defense. Muhammad relies on grappling pressure but may struggle to get takedowns. Garry should out-strike him and win a decision, possibly with a late finish.

Garry by decision; wait for better line
"I'm going to go Gary here. I'm going to go Gary by decision."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Nov 19, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Paul picks Ian Garry, having added him to parlays early. He believes Garry's length, footwork, and takedown defense will be too much for Belal, who is at the end of his career. Paul notes that Belal's wins are aging poorly and that Garry's striking and ring IQ are superior.

"I think Gary's length, footwork, probably even takedown defense is going to be too much for Bal."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Nov 19, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

The MMA Guru picks Ian Garry over Belal Muhammad, believing Garry's striking and takedown defense will be too much. He notes Garry's performances against Shavkat and MVP. He predicts a third-round TKO, with Garry calling out Makhachev afterward.

Ian Garry to fight for more than 2.5 total rounds (from earlier prizepicks segment); third round TKO
"I'm going to go with Ian Garry. I think he finishes Belal. I think he's going to get a TKO over Belal Muhammad."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Nov 20, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Ian Machado Garry

Zane also picks Garry, emphasizing his faith in Garry's improved game plan and coaching from the Prochazka fight. He notes that Garry's reach and ability to control range will trouble Muhammad, who lacks the athleticism to pressure effectively. Zane sees Muhammad's path to victory as narrow, requiring a perfect game plan.

Garry by decision; Muhammad could win if Garry regresses
"I'm taking Gary as well, but it's a very compelling matchup. I really like it."
Decision R5 5:00 · UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena · May 10, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 132 of 318 41% 155 of 349 3 of 9 33% 0 0 3:21
Jack Della Maddalena 0 178 of 342 52% 200 of 364 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:40
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 21 of 49 42% 21 of 49 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
Jack Della Maddalena 0 28 of 61 45% 28 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Belal Muhammad 0 21 of 63 33% 21 of 63 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:07
Jack Della Maddalena 0 30 of 63 47% 30 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Belal Muhammad 0 32 of 79 40% 32 of 79 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:19
Jack Della Maddalena 0 34 of 76 44% 35 of 77 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
4 Belal Muhammad 0 31 of 65 47% 35 of 70 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:19
Jack Della Maddalena 0 33 of 59 55% 51 of 77 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:27
5 Belal Muhammad 0 27 of 62 43% 46 of 88 2 of 2 100% 0 0 1:32
Jack Della Maddalena 0 53 of 83 63% 56 of 86 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:09
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 132 of 318 41% 119 of 297 11 of 18 2 of 3 116 of 295 14 of 21 2 of 2
Jack Della Maddalena 178 of 342 52% 113 of 254 47 of 65 18 of 23 167 of 326 11 of 16 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 21 of 49 42% 15 of 40 5 of 8 1 of 1 18 of 46 3 of 3 0 of 0
Jack Della Maddalena 28 of 61 45% 14 of 39 7 of 11 7 of 11 27 of 58 1 of 3 0 of 0
2 Belal Muhammad 21 of 63 33% 19 of 58 1 of 3 1 of 2 19 of 61 2 of 2 0 of 0
Jack Della Maddalena 30 of 63 47% 16 of 45 10 of 14 4 of 4 29 of 62 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Belal Muhammad 32 of 79 40% 29 of 74 3 of 5 0 of 0 29 of 76 3 of 3 0 of 0
Jack Della Maddalena 34 of 76 44% 20 of 58 10 of 14 4 of 4 34 of 75 0 of 1 0 of 0
4 Belal Muhammad 31 of 65 47% 30 of 64 1 of 1 0 of 0 25 of 54 5 of 10 1 of 1
Jack Della Maddalena 33 of 59 55% 27 of 48 4 of 8 2 of 3 32 of 57 1 of 2 0 of 0
5 Belal Muhammad 27 of 62 43% 26 of 61 1 of 1 0 of 0 25 of 58 1 of 3 1 of 1
Jack Della Maddalena 53 of 83 63% 36 of 64 16 of 18 1 of 1 45 of 74 8 of 9 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
UFC Welterweight Title Fight: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Muhammad (-192), Della Maddalena (+160)

Round 1
Sometimes, a champion does not defend their throne against the top contender, but rather the top contender that is available at the time. This welterweight headliner will see Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC; 15-3, 1 NC UFC) put his belt on the line for the first time, and he meets Della Maddalena (17-2, 7-0 UFC) for all the marbles in a prototypical striker vs. grappler matchup at the highest level. Referee Jason Herzog will be the third man in the Octagon for a match that could very well go 25 hard minutes, and he brings them to the center of the cage to issue final instructions and touch gloves. It’s on with the show. Della Maddalena immediately takes to the center of the cage, where he jabs his way forward. Muhammad responds with a body shot, and Della Maddalena jabs him up. Della Maddalena kicks and punches his way forward, beating the champ to the punch. Muhammad responds with his own jab and a high kick that makes Della Maddalena spin around, from momentum and not damage. They flick jabs at one another, with Della Maddalena the more active of the two. Della Maddalena picks and pokes, and Della Maddalena responds with a power right hand. He lands a second, getting the challenger’s attention. The Aussie keeps his guard up to block a trio of punches coming his way, and kicks the champ upside the head and lances him with a left hand. A right hand from Della Maddalena stings Muhammad with a right hand up top, and he gets jabbed back and eats a right hand that follows. Della Maddalena’s leg kick lands a few times here and there when not landing up top, and he chains a low kick into one high. Della Maddalena sneaks in a left hand, and he nails the front leg with another kick. Muhammad lunges and cannot reach his man, but he sells out and shoots for something. He bails on it to drill Della Maddalena with a punch flurry, and his head kick at the end gets in. Muhammad dodges a knee and pushes out his own jab, and he rips a left to the body and kicks the same spot. They crash together, letting loose elbows that hurt the other, and then back off. One missed hook kick from the champ concludes the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena

Round 2
Della Maddalena begins the second stanza aggressively with kicks aimed at all targets, and he pulls back when Muhammad starts to put a jab together. Muhammad rifles off a right hand, and when Della Maddalena ducks, the champ punts him in the head. Della Maddalena’s crooked nose stays crooked as a result, and he reaches out a right hand in response. The toes of the challenger stab into his foe’s midsection, who sits in the pocket and looks for hooks from up close. Della Maddalena drives home a one-two that sends a gob of spit flying from Muhammad’s mouth, and Muhammad takes it flush and does not waver. Instead, Muhammad evades a front kick and lashes out with punches. They take turns attacking one another, until Muhammad breaks up the back-and-forth striking with a takedown shot. Della Maddalena shrugs it off, and he blocks a high kick that he knows is coming. Muhammad loops a few left hands out while trying to wrap them around the jab, and he kicks the challenger in the side that is already showing some welting. Muhammad punches his way into a takedown, and when it fails, he lands a few punches but gets caught on the way out. Muhammad catches Della Maddalena with a left hand when circling away, and he parries a front kick and comes up short by a matter of inches with his hooks. Della Maddalena jabs to the body, and Muhammad whacks him upside the head with a hard right hand. Della Maddalena responds with a combination that busts Muhammad’s nose open, and blood is quick to flow. Muhammad tries a spinning back fist, and Della Maddalena mocks him with one of his own before attempting an earnest wheel kick that brushes past the beard. The round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena

Round 3
The third round opens up as both men launch punches at one another, with Muhammad landing the better in the early exchange. Della Maddalena bites down on his mouthpiece to let his fists fly, and the third and fourth in a combination knock the champ’s head around. Della Maddalena dodges and sways when Muhammad returns fire, exaggerating his movement as he is feeling himself in there. Della Maddalena jabs the body with his foot, and kicks the lead shoulder. Muhammad responds in kind, and he laughs off a faked takedown effort from the Aussie. Muhammad punches his way forward, but he backs off before landing anything of merit. Instead, it is Della Maddalena who connects, with a right hand. Muhammad walks him down and connects a few times, but his nose gets further bloodied up by the speedy hands of the challenger. Della Maddalena chips at the calf, and he leans back as a right hand buzzes his temple. Della Maddalena jabs a few times, and Muhammad steels himself and launches a big right. Della Maddalena takes it flush and keeps on rolling, jabbing to the head and body as he keeps things mixed up. He rings the champ’s bell with a right hand, who then gives him back a left hook to think about. Muhammad pushes out a knee that bounces off the guard, and he chambers and fires a huge right hand that does not fluster his foe in the least. Muhammad runs forward, ignoring the jabs to let bigger punches go. This succeeds to a degree, until the boxer tags him with a right hand. Della Maddalena then scores a left as he backs away, in his element, strafing and swaying as he glides around. Muhammad walks him down and busts him in the face, and Della Maddalena laughs them off and throws back hammers. Muhammad shoots for a takedown, and he leans against his foe when he does not get it. Della Maddalena defends it and tries for his own, and Muhammad elbows him in the side and back of the head. Muhammad is warned for the strikes as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena

Round 4
Shockingly, the champion might need a finish as they enter the fourth frame, and given Muhammad’s 25% stoppage rate, it might be an uphill battle. Nevertheless, he tries hard right out of the gate, practically sprinting at the challenger and landing heavy punches. Della Maddalena lets him do this and backs away to the wall to rebound off of it, but his jabs are not deterring Muhammad any longer. Muhammad marks up the bridge of Della Maddalena’s nose, swinging with big uppercuts and getting caught on the way in. The champ shoots for a takedown, and he lets it go to unload with a massive combination of uppercuts. Della Maddalena pays him back with his own power shots, spraying the blood from Muhammad’s face all around the cage floor. Muhammad uses his pressure to push on Della Maddalena and try to take him down, and he aims a knee to the dome that is legal while Della Maddalena is leaned over. Della Maddalena succeeds in defending the takedown and spins his man around, and Muhammad breaks and lets loose a short stream of uppercuts. Della Maddalena walks him down, walks through an uppercut and ignores a jab so that he can measure his own shots. Muhammad swings wildly with a right hand and back fist after it, and Maddalena jabs and dodges. Muhammad shoots for a double, and Della Maddalena shuts him down and turns Muhammad to the wire. Muhammad spins him around and looks for a head kick up close, but he cannot keep Della Maddalena on the fence. A left hand from Muhammad blows open Della Maddalena’s cauliflower ear, and Della Maddalena responds with a right hand. The horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 5
Muhammad plods forward to commence the final frame, taking a deep breath and jabbing Della Maddalena around the cage. Muhammad rips a kick to the body, and he swings punches that bang into his foe’s forehead. Muhammad keeps heavy pressure, dodging a one-two and coming out swinging with a pair of right hooks. Della Maddalena staggers him with three left hands, and he skips to the side and intercepts Muhammad with a vicious knee that shreds a cut open on the corner of Muhammad’s eye. Rather than think about it, he blasts Della Maddalena with a counter, and he shoots for a takedown and finally lands it. Positioning himself in half guard, Muhammad smothers with his shoulder pressing the Aussie down. The champ hammers down with ground-and-pound, his blood covering Della Maddalena’s chest, which allows him to slip around and explode back to his feet. Della Maddalena’s eye swells up quickly from the damage inflicted, and Muhammad runs at him with his fists flying. Della Maddalena backs him off for a second with a front kick, and they proceed to hack at one another with elbows. Della Maddalena clubs the champion with a left, a right and a few more punches as he has “Remember the Name” rocked. Della Maddalena clinches up for a second before letting loose with body shots, and he tries a takedown and gets thrown to the ground. Muhammad scrambles to push Della Maddalena to his back, where he frantically lashes out with punches and elbows. Della Maddalena protects himself by putting his head between Muhammad’s legs, and he bursts back to his feet. Muhammad leans him against the cage and tries to get him down, but Della Maddalena pushes him away and kicks him in the head. The Aussie drills Muhammad with a punch combo that staggers him badly, but he peels back rather than trying to finish the job. He re-engages, and Muhammad is ready for him throwing hammers. Della Maddalena does the same right to the final bell, and the two welterweights go the distance in a thriller that few expected would turn out this way. There may be a new champion crowned, but either way, Muhammad shed part of his reputation of being boring with that 25-minute banger.
The scores are read, and just like that, the Muhammad era is over before he could defend it once. Australia has a new champion in the form of hard-nosed brawler Della Maddalena, who stepped up to the plate and exceeded all expectations with that performance. The Contender Series has another champion from its ranks, with Della Maddalena pushing his phenomenal win streak to 18 thanks to his likely bonus-winning battle. Because of this result, lightweight king Islam Makhachev is going to move up and be the first to challenge Della Maddalena soon, while Ilia Topuria takes on Charles Oliveira—possibly for an interim title—on International Fight Week. The confident new champion declares that he will "get one back for Volk" against Makhachev. We will be here for those terrific matchups, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena (49-46 Della Maddalena)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena (48-47 Della Maddalena)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Della Maddalena (49-46 Della Maddalena)

The Official Result
Jack Della Maddalena def. Belal Muhammad via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked May 4, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Angelo picks Belal Muhammad to defend his belt, trusting his wrestling and control. He notes Jack Della Maddalena was taken down seven times by Gilbert Burns and survived by a lucky knee. He hopes Belal fights like he did against Wonderboy (wrestle-heavy) rather than standing. He mentions the line is tightening and suggests waiting to bet. He also notes that if Belal wins, it sets up Ilia vs Islam at International Fight Week.

"I'm going to trust the process here. I do think Bal wins. Not only is he a smart guy who understands the dangers of striking, but he also carries the wrestling reputation with him."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 6, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Big Brady is confident in Belal Muhammad, citing his wrestling and fight IQ. He notes Jack Della Maddalena was taken down eight times by an aging Gilbert Burns and struggled with Basil Hafez. He believes Muhammad will wrestle despite claiming otherwise, and predicts a decision win. He thinks the only way Muhammad loses is if he fights a horrible game plan.

"Give me Blow. Give me Balao. Give me Blow to win this fight by decision."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked May 8, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Connor picks Belal Muhammad but with hesitation, expressing concern that Belal lacks the athletic escape ropes to get out of trouble against JDM. He notes that JDM has a habit of violently winning fights he is losing, and that Belal's wrestling may not be a reliable get-out-of-jail card. However, he ultimately believes Belal's game planning and durability will allow him to win a narrow decision.

"I'm definitely gonna pick Balala Muhammad here. I don't see how I couldn't but I do have a sneaking feeling..."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 7, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The host views this as a favorable matchup for Muhammad after Rakhmonov's injury. He believes Muhammad's grappling, high pressure, and pace will be too much for Della Maddalena, keeping him on the defensive. He expects Muhammad to set up his grappling and grind out a decision victory.

"I think Muhammad's grappling style and high pressure, high pace will be too much for the striker in Matelena to keep up with."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 6, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Jack Della Maddalena

The MMA Guru picks JDM, citing his finishing potential, ability to separate and scramble, and work with Craig Jones. He believes JDM's forward pressure and body shots will trouble Belal, who he thinks is overrated after the Leon Edwards win. He predicts a second-round TKO, noting JDM's 17-fight win streak and Belal's inactivity.

second round TKO
"I'm going with JDM. I'm going with JDM. That's what I'm doing. The boys are taking this one. JDM's getting it done."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 8, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Zane picks Belal Muhammad, arguing that Belal is a great game planner who can work around Jack Della Maddalena's limited game. He notes that Belal has successfully game-planned against many different styles, and while JDM is a dangerous puncher, Belal's durability and ability to rebuild after adversity will carry him. Zane acknowledges that Belal may only need one takedown per round to win rounds and retain his title.

"I'm definitely gonna pick Balala Muhammad here. I don't see how I couldn't but I do have a sneaking feeling..."
WIN vs Leon Edwards
Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46) R5 5:00 · UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 · Jul 27, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 47 of 71 66% 89 of 114 2 of 2 100% 0 2 7:11
Leon Edwards 0 68 of 121 56% 192 of 281 9 of 13 69% 0 0 12:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 15 of 21 71% 25 of 31 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:50
Leon Edwards 0 17 of 34 50% 51 of 75 2 of 2 100% 0 0 1:45
2 Belal Muhammad 0 11 of 16 68% 17 of 22 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:49
Leon Edwards 0 13 of 22 59% 27 of 39 4 of 5 80% 0 0 3:25
3 Belal Muhammad 0 2 of 4 50% 19 of 22 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:18
Leon Edwards 0 4 of 9 44% 9 of 15 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:15
4 Belal Muhammad 0 6 of 10 60% 10 of 14 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:30
Leon Edwards 0 21 of 30 70% 62 of 82 1 of 2 50% 0 0 3:17
5 Belal Muhammad 0 13 of 20 65% 18 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:44
Leon Edwards 0 13 of 26 50% 43 of 70 1 of 3 33% 0 0 3:20
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 47 of 71 66% 32 of 53 12 of 15 3 of 3 35 of 58 6 of 7 6 of 6
Leon Edwards 68 of 121 56% 59 of 110 9 of 11 0 of 0 62 of 111 0 of 4 6 of 6
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 15 of 21 71% 7 of 12 7 of 8 1 of 1 10 of 16 5 of 5 0 of 0
Leon Edwards 17 of 34 50% 14 of 31 3 of 3 0 of 0 16 of 30 0 of 3 1 of 1
2 Belal Muhammad 11 of 16 68% 8 of 12 2 of 3 1 of 1 10 of 14 1 of 2 0 of 0
Leon Edwards 13 of 22 59% 13 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0 10 of 18 0 of 1 3 of 3
3 Belal Muhammad 2 of 4 50% 1 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 1 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
Leon Edwards 4 of 9 44% 3 of 7 1 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 9 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Belal Muhammad 6 of 10 60% 5 of 9 1 of 1 0 of 0 6 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
Leon Edwards 21 of 30 70% 18 of 26 3 of 4 0 of 0 19 of 28 0 of 0 2 of 2
5 Belal Muhammad 13 of 20 65% 11 of 17 2 of 3 0 of 0 7 of 14 0 of 0 6 of 6
Leon Edwards 13 of 26 50% 11 of 24 2 of 2 0 of 0 13 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 21, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Leon Edwards

Angelo picks Leon Edwards to win, citing Edwards' sharper striking and takedown defense. He notes that Belal Muhammad's wrestling pressure could be a factor, but expects Edwards to defend takedowns and frustrate Belal as the fight goes on. Angelo admits he will be rooting for Belal but believes Edwards is the more proven champion. He also mentions that Belal has been training with the Dagestani wrestlers and could maul Edwards, but still leans Edwards.

"I think Leon Edwards is going to be sharper on the feet defend a few takedowns I think balam Muhammad as the fight goes on is going to get more and more frustrated and I think Leon Edwards wins this …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 24, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Cody believes Belal Muhammad is a talented generalist who can adapt his game plan to any opponent. He points out that Belal has shown different wrinkles, such as out-striking Gilbert Burns and Shawn Brady, and that his wrestling and pressure will be key. Cody notes that Leon Edwards has a history of dropping later rounds, as seen against Colby Covington and Rafael dos Anjos, and that Belal's volume and pace could overwhelm Leon in the championship rounds. He also mentions that Belal is at his best now, while Leon's previous opponents were past their prime.

Belal Muhammad by decision
"I think he can just crash the pocket and constantly come forward and constantly pressure try to use the volume game... second third fourth and fifth he needs just to make this absolute grind."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Jul 25, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel argues that Belal Muhammad has improved significantly since the first fight, citing dominant wins over Shawn Brady and Gilbert Burns. He believes Leon Edwards has not looked better since winning the title, coasting against Colby Covington and a diminished Kamaru Usman. He emphasizes Belal's newfound wrestling focus and improved striking reads, predicting he will overwhelm Edwards. He also advises waiting on Belal's line as it may drift further due to public sentiment against Belal's trash talk.

Wait on Belal Muhammad line; expects line to move further in his favor
"I'm going B Muhammad because since their last fight I don't know that that Leon Edwards has looked better"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Jul 24, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel argues that the first fight was not a domination, citing no knockdowns, no 10-8 round, and a close strike count. He believes Belal's relentless pace, high output, and ability to pressure will overwhelm Leon, who has shown fatigue in later rounds. He also notes that Belal is undervalued by the market and has consistently been a profitable underdog. He acknowledges Leon's kicking threat but thinks Belal can close distance and make it a dirty fight.

"I'm going an new balal Muhammad um and I'm riding this uh train till the to till the wheels fall off"
JE
Jeff Fox Expert Confident picked Jul 25, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Leon Edwards

Jeff picks Leon Edwards, noting he looked good in the brief first fight and has been improving since winning the belt. He acknowledges Edwards' recent opponents (Covington, Usman, Diaz) are not elite, but still trusts the champion's development. He believes Edwards' reads and feints were working before the eye poke and expects him to handle Belal's pressure.

"going with the champ he looked good in their first fight even how brief it was he was you know getting his work done getting his reads in getting his faints in"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 24, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Leon Edwards

Paul favors Leon Edwards, citing his speed, slickness, and striking advantage. He argues that Leon was winning the first fight before the eye poke and has improved his takedown defense, as seen against Colby Covington. Paul believes Belal's power doesn't scare him and that Leon will win most exchanges on the feet. He also notes that Belal's path to victory relies on takedowns and control, but Leon has made strides in those areas.

"I think Leon at you know it's minus 230 minus 250 it's kind of moved to in some spots like I think he's a rightful favorite here."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 22, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Leon Edwards

The MMA Guru picks Leon Edwards by TKO in round two. He believes Edwards is a level above Belal Muhammad, as shown in their first fight where Edwards had success before the head kick. The Guru notes Edwards' reach advantage, distance management, and improved takedown defense from training with wrestlers like Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington. He thinks Muhammad will be hesitant and that Edwards will land a punch for the finish. He also mentions Muhammad's PED use as a concern but still favors Edwards.

TKO in round 2
"I'm going to go with Leon Edwards getting this one done he's got a bit of reach advantage to work with here and we know if Edwards has reach over an opponent even if he doesn't against usan he still …"
WIN vs Gilbert Burns
Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 49–46, 49–46) R5 5:00 · UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo · May 06, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 132 of 283 46% 132 of 283 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gilbert Burns 0 81 of 147 55% 81 of 147 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 19 of 39 48% 19 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gilbert Burns 0 15 of 31 48% 15 of 31 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Belal Muhammad 0 18 of 51 35% 18 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gilbert Burns 0 15 of 28 53% 15 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Belal Muhammad 0 25 of 59 42% 25 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gilbert Burns 0 14 of 22 63% 14 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
4 Belal Muhammad 0 28 of 54 51% 28 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gilbert Burns 0 16 of 23 69% 16 of 23 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
5 Belal Muhammad 0 42 of 80 52% 42 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gilbert Burns 0 21 of 43 48% 21 of 43 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 132 of 283 46% 92 of 241 39 of 41 1 of 1 132 of 283 0 of 0 0 of 0
Gilbert Burns 81 of 147 55% 35 of 96 13 of 16 33 of 35 81 of 147 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 19 of 39 48% 9 of 29 9 of 9 1 of 1 19 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Gilbert Burns 15 of 31 48% 7 of 22 3 of 4 5 of 5 15 of 31 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Belal Muhammad 18 of 51 35% 11 of 44 7 of 7 0 of 0 18 of 51 0 of 0 0 of 0
Gilbert Burns 15 of 28 53% 6 of 18 0 of 0 9 of 10 15 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Belal Muhammad 25 of 59 42% 20 of 53 5 of 6 0 of 0 25 of 59 0 of 0 0 of 0
Gilbert Burns 14 of 22 63% 7 of 14 3 of 4 4 of 4 14 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Belal Muhammad 28 of 54 51% 18 of 44 10 of 10 0 of 0 28 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
Gilbert Burns 16 of 23 69% 6 of 12 4 of 4 6 of 7 16 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Belal Muhammad 42 of 80 52% 34 of 71 8 of 9 0 of 0 42 of 80 0 of 0 0 of 0
Gilbert Burns 21 of 43 48% 9 of 30 3 of 4 9 of 9 21 of 43 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Five-Round Co-Feature: Gilbert Burns vs. Belal Muhammad
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Burns (-125), Muhammad (+105)

Round 1
A rarity in the promotion the last several years, the UFC is offering up an official “title eliminator” status for a fight. This comes at 170 pounds, between two excelling talents who are stringing win streaks together at the right time. While many believe Muhammad (22-3, 1 NC; 13-3, 1 NC UFC) should have gotten a title shot already, he will look to push his unbeaten streak to 10 when he collides with brick-fisted grappler Burns (22-5, 15-5 UFC). The two will have five rounds to work, even with no championship or main event status available. This short-notice tilt will receive oversight from referee Keith Peterson, and there is no nonsense or touching of gloves to start things off. Chants for “Let’s go, Burns” rain down immediately in the building, and Burns is spurred into action with a charging right hand. Muhammad absorbs a low kick and looks to find angles and get to Burns with his footwork. Muhammad ricochets a kick off his opponent’s raised guard, and he sneaks a left hand through it. Burns loads up on his power right hand, and Muhammad darts away and aims out a jab. Another solid right from the Brazilian connects square on the chin, and Muhammad backs off and eats a leg kick to follow. Burns flicks a kick up high off the raised guard, and he sneaks a right hand through. Muhammad retaliates with a shin to the ribs, and Burns intercepts a subsequent kick to tackle his man to the mat. Muhammad climbs right back up and strikes a few more kicks to the liver, and he dodges a swatting left hook. Muhammad stays composed and utilizes his jab effectively, mixing in kicks occasionally to stay busier. Burns comes up short on a winging hook, and he kicks the body. Muhammad counters with a straight left hand that staggers Burns, and Burns grits his teeth and slams his right fist into Muhammad’s jaw twice to make “Remember the Name” remember his power. Burns has a kick caught, and he scrambles out of the way before getting dumped to the floor. Burns goes up high with a kick, and Burns stumbles back right as the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 2
The second frame kicks off as the two welterweights meet in the middle, and Burns strikes first with a stomping kick to the kneecap. Muhammad strafes to his right, and Burns follows him with a kick to the inside of the knee. Burns comes up short with a right hook, allowing Muhammad to sink in another liver kick. Burns chambers and fires a low kick and a massive right hand, and Muhammad’s beard absorbs it without much issue. Muhammad whips a high kick up, and he aims one to the body as Burns retaliates low to the inner calf. Burns paws away a one-two, and he gathers his thoughts to blast Muhammad in the face with a power right. Muhammad replies with a blocked head kick, and Burns hops around to shake it out. Muhammad is far less active, as Burns steps in with a right. The jabs from Muhammad are less constant, and Burns stings him with a right hand on the temple. Muhammad flashes his jab a few times, and Burns walks into one and storms forward. Muhammad times a body kick, and Burns gives him one to the calf back. Burns fires off a short right hand when Muhammad bears down on him, and he lets go with an inside low kick. Muhammad rips a kick to the side, and Burns surges into action and has a right hand slide off the shoulder. Burns lets fly a low kick, and he dodges a zipping left hand. Muhammad gives chase, and his fists collide with the guard. The slower round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Burns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Burns

Round 3
The round begins with a body kick from the Brazilian, and Muhammad retaliates with a front kick that grazes the cup. There is no pause, as Burns waves it off, and the crowd grows restless from the otherwise lack of action in the first minute. Muhammad gets off a jab or two, and Burns chambers his right hand and blocks a head kick. Burns gets off a single jab of his own, and he steps back from a looping punch. Burns kicks the lead leg a few times, and he stumbles when walking forward. Muhammad fires off a high kick that smacks into a shoulder, and Burns swings and misses wit ha haymaker. The pace is very deliberate and ineffective on both sides, and Muhammad throws two punches at a time if he can. Burns backs off, and Muhammad follows him with a head kick that bounces off the shoulder and a few straight punches. Burns tags him with a big right hand, and Muhammad shakes it off and sneaks a kick under Burns’ elbow. Burns steps in with a knee to the chest, and he gets kicked in the neck for his effort. The Brazilian appears no worse for wear, and he backs away when Muhammad jabs and front kicks at him. Burns throws a high body kick that smacks into the armpit, and Muhammad chains two kicks together with his left leg. Muhammad jabs quickly when Burns races forward, and he stays active with kicks. Muhammad gets into his groove of head kicks and jabs, stifling Burns. “Durinho” swings and misses with his right, and Muhammad makes him pay with a body shot. The tepid round comes to a close.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 4
Between rounds, Burns appears to be struggling with his left arm, and he complains to his corner that he cannot use it. Despite this, the championship rounds are upon them, and Burns’ body language and face show he is not having a good time in the cage. Muhammad compounds this by starting off Round 4 with a body kick and a few punches, and Burns blinks hard and drills Muhammad with a right hand on the jaw. Muhammad shakes it targets the same spot on the ribs with one more kick. Burns shells up as Muhammad kicks his body, and Burns replies with one of his own. Muhammad narrowly blocks a head kick in time, with Burns surprising him with the sudden strike. Muhammad stutter-steps his way into action, with a one-two off the guard as he leans back from a home run punch soaring at him. Burns drops down to snatch up a single, and he nails Muhammad with a blistering right hand that gives Muhammad a little wobble. Burns celebrates this with a body kick, a knee to the body and a leg kick, and he backs Muhammad away with a feint. Burns considers another single, and he abandons it because he cannot use his arm to secure it. Muhammad kicks high to the hurt arm, and Burns grimaces. Seeing this, Muhammad attacks it again with a kick up high. Muhammad shrugs off a leg kick to the inside of his knee, and he fires off two kicks to the shoulder. Burns blocks the strikes that come at him, and he splits a right hand down the pipe that shakes Muhammad up again. Muhammad weathers it and goes to jab, and the round ends with the crowd booing the welterweights.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 5
A dejected Burns is able to come out of his corner to start the last round, and a corner stoppage would not be out of the question given Burns condition. This sport rarely allows for such a courtesy, and the last round begins. Burns blocks an early head kick and loops two right hands over the top. Burns drops down for a takedown, and he abandons it and absorbs a few kicks to the head and body. Muhammad reaches his foe with a lunging right, and he is out of range when Burns attempts his overhand right. Burns is caught with a right hand coming in, and he wobbles back but gathers his balance. Muhammad punishes the ribs with the umpteenth kick to that same target, and Burns toughs it out. They both clash together with their fists, and Muhammad is the one to land better and backs Burns away. Burns secures a leg kick to buckle Muhammad’s knee for a second, but Muhammad speedily recovers and he takes another. Burns leaps in with a few rights, and Muhammad counters and fearlessly walks Burns down. Muhammad leans back from the obligatory right hook and tags him with a few punches, and he sees the telegraphed bomb and dodges it again. Burns knocks Muhammad back with his right, only for Muhammad to step in front of him and connect with a one-two. Burns swings and misses with two missiles that are right hands, with his left completely out of the picture in this fight other than as a blocking limb. They both trade heavy fire, and Muhammad darts out of harm’s way when Burns looks to reach him. When the 10-second clapper sounds, Muhammad kicks high and then aims one to the body, and the disappointing 25-minute affair comes to a merciful conclusion. The two immediately hug it out after the bell rings, and Muhammad should finally have done enough to earn a crack at the 170-pound throne.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (49-46 Muhammad)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (50-45 Muhammad)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (49-46 Muhammad)

The Official Result
Belal Muhammad def. Gilbert Burns via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Angelo picks Belal Muhammad, citing his wrestling pressure and improved striking. He notes that Gilbert Burns is coming off a quick turnaround (fought three weeks ago) and that fighters in that situation often lose. Angelo believes Belal's wrestling pace will overwhelm Burns, and he questions Burns' submission threat off his back. He has a quarter unit on Belal at +105, noting the line has tightened from Burns being a big favorite.

quarter unit at +105
"I got a quarter of a unit on below at Plus 105."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Big Brady picks Muhammad in this five-round fight. He believes Burns is the better striker early with more power, but Muhammad's cardio, pressure, and volume will wear Burns down in the later rounds. He notes Burns has questionable cardio and chin, and Muhammad has excellent takedown defense and get-up game. He predicts Muhammad will weather the early storm and finish Burns late, possibly by fourth-round TKO.

Fourth round TKO prediction
"I'm going to take Muhammad here to win this fight I like him to weather the early storm put the pressure on put the pace on and break Burns as this fight goes on"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Cody emphasizes that the five-round format heavily favors Belal Muhammad's proven cardio and durability over Gilbert Burns, who has questionable gas tank. He notes Belal's high ring IQ, ability to adjust game plans (lateral movement vs Luque, forward pressure vs Brady), and that Burns' recent wins are over older or less dangerous opponents. He expects Belal to survive early rounds and take over late, making the underdog line attractive.

Live betting after first round for better price
"pre-fight flop I will take the underdog Muhammad plus 110"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Connor also picks Muhammad, agreeing that Burns is uncomfortable under pressure and that Muhammad's jab will be key. He notes that Muhammad is a smart fighter who sticks to his game plan and that Burns' wrestling may not be a decisive factor. Connor expresses concern about Muhammad's short notice but trusts his conditioning.

"I'm going to pick Balal too, but that is my concern."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The host picks Belal Muhammad, citing his pace, pressure, and cardio as key advantages over Gilbert Burns. He believes Muhammad's grappling-heavy style, similar to Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, will wear down Burns, who has cardio issues. He expects Muhammad to finish Burns in the fourth or fifth round, and notes that the plus 120 odds look easy.

Belal Muhammad by TKO in round 4 or 5, plus 120 odds
"I think that this is a spot that he can go out there put Gilbert Burns through the grinder and finish him probably in the 4th of fifth round of this matchup give me give me below Muhammad a short …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Paul initially leaned toward Gilbert Burns but changed his mind after realizing the fight is five rounds, which makes the line more reasonable. He notes Burns' quick turnaround and Belal's experience fighting after Ramadan without issue. He says he's 'leaning ever so slightly towards Belal' because of the five rounds, but thinks the market has it right and it's a close fight.

Over 1.5 takedowns for Burns moved from 1.5 to 1; thinks one takedown is accurate
"I'm leaning ever so slightly towards below because of the fact that it's five rounds"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Gilbert Burns

The Guru confidently picks Burns, citing his peak physical condition from fighting frequently and his power advantage on the feet. He believes Burns will set traps and land big shots as Belal comes forward, and that Belal's takedowns won't worry Burns due to his jiu-jitsu. He also questions Belal's mindset and weight cut, noting Belal's complaints and inconsistent weight claims. He predicts a TKO via right hand against the cage.

TKO prediction
"I'm going with Gilbert Burns I like the fact that he called for five rounds knowing that Bilal Muhammad might not be in a peak shape I'm gonna go Gilbert Burns getting this one done by TKO"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Zane picks Muhammad, emphasizing that Burns tends to destruct under pressure and that Muhammad's jab-centric striking is a great weapon against Burns' catch-and-counter style. He notes that Muhammad is adaptable and well-prepared, and that Burns' recent performance against Masvidal was uninspiring. Zane also mentions that the five-round fight favors Muhammad's cardio and pressure.

"I got to pick Balal Muhammad in that kind of fight."
WIN vs Sean Brady
TKO (punches) R2 4:47 · UFC 280: Oliveira vs. Makhachev · Oct 22, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 80 of 209 38% 80 of 209 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Brady 0 58 of 118 49% 58 of 118 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 26 of 80 32% 26 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Brady 0 25 of 62 40% 25 of 62 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Belal Muhammad 0 54 of 129 41% 54 of 129 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Brady 0 33 of 56 58% 33 of 56 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 80 of 209 38% 64 of 183 11 of 19 5 of 7 79 of 206 1 of 3 0 of 0
Sean Brady 58 of 118 49% 40 of 98 4 of 6 14 of 14 57 of 117 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 26 of 80 32% 18 of 66 6 of 10 2 of 4 26 of 80 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Brady 25 of 62 40% 15 of 51 2 of 3 8 of 8 25 of 62 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Belal Muhammad 54 of 129 41% 46 of 117 5 of 9 3 of 3 53 of 126 1 of 3 0 of 0
Sean Brady 33 of 56 58% 25 of 47 2 of 3 6 of 6 32 of 55 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Sean Brady vs. Belal Muhammad
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Brady (-145), Muhammad (+125)

Round 1
Headlining the prelims is a welterweight matchup that could easily and comfortably headliner any UFC Fight Night or ESPN-run event. For a possible shot at the logjammed welterweight throne, Muhammad (21-3, 1 NC; 12-3, 1 NC UFC) and his eight-fight unbeaten streak run up against Brady (15-0, 5-0 UFC), who has never dropped a pro fight. Someone will take a rough loss, barring something unexpected, and referee Lukasz Bosacki will be there for it. The 170ers have a strange bit of bad blood between them and decide not to touch ‘em up, and instead Muhammad comes out aggressively to push the pace on the undefeated fighter. Muhammad scores a left hand down the pipe, and Brady looks to swipe back at him and only lands a calf kick. Muhammad keeps moving forward and clips Brady with a right hand, and he retreats as Brady races forward. Brady works the lead leg with kicks, and he walks into a knee and forces Muhammad to fall over. When Muhammad stands, Brady gives him a shove to put him back to his seat but does not follow him down. Brady allows him to stand so that he can bust him in the chops with a right hand, and he gets a few punches off that get Muhammad’s attention. Muhammad keeps coming forward as he lines up a head kick, and Brady backs him away with a high body kick. Muhammad kicks the leg, and Brady changes levels in pursuit of a takedown but it is nowhere close to materializing. Brady backs off and whips a high kick up fast, and when it is guarded, he follows it with a clean right hand over the top. Muhammad pins a one-two on the chin, and Brady counters him to make him take a step back. Brady gets tagged with a short combination, and he blocks a head kick that follows. Muhammad gets out a left hand and the two start trading, with Brady landing flush and Muhammad giving it right back to him. Muhammad connects with a heavy right hand that draws some swelling under Brady’s right eye, and Brady shoots in from a distance and does not draw out a reaction. Muhammad walks him down and starts throwing hands, and Brady replies with a left hand that opens a cut on the side of Muhammad’s right eye. The horn sounds awkwardly, and the razor-close round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Brady
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 2
The pace from Muhammad does not relent as the second round begins, continuously pressing forward as Brady sits down on counters. The welterweight contenders trade low kicks, and Brady shoots and is stopped in his tracks. Brady gets off a sharp left hook that splits the guard, and he smacks Muhammad in the nose with a front kick. Brady gets off another left hook as Muhammad is walking him down, and he kicks the body to give Muhammad momentary pause. Muhammad sticks out a jab that reddens the nose, and Brady lines up a one-two that shakes Muhammad up. Muhammad keeps his fists in Brady’s face, and the nose starts to leak from the offense. Brady jumps forward, mixing punches with kicks, and Muhammad stands firm in front of him and responds with a blocked head kick. Brady leaps forward with a powerful left hook, and he celebrates his work with a low single that gets stuffed by “Remember the Name.” Muhammad lands two punches as Brady prepares and connects with a counter, and he gets rocked with a short left hand. Muhammad blinks it out and fires back with a venomous right hand, and he uses several jabs to back Brady up. A Brady entry is tossed aside, and they trade jabs as Muhammad begins to unload on his punches. They kick at the same time, and Muhammad falls to the mat and jumps back up. A shovel uppercut from the Philadelphia native gets through, and he tries to get off a combination but has his bell rung by Muhammad. Muhammad pours it on with combinations, and he hurts Brady and puts him on the proverbial ropes. Muhammad continues his bombardment of unanswered punches as he batters Brady on the wall, and Brady is in big trouble and leans over from taking punishment. Muhammad stays right in his face, pounding on him with an assault of fiery fists. Brady tries to keep Muhammad honest with a heavy counter or two, but Muhammad will not relent as he drills Brady in the face again and again. The seemingly unending barrage of blows continues until Movahedi dives in to call it a standing TKO, and Brady immediately protests although he was in a bad, bad way. “Remember the Name” makes the crowd remember his name as he moves his unbeaten streak to nine, while handing Brady his first defeat as a professional. Muhammad declares that he fought down to face Brady, and that it is time to fight up – calling out champion Leon Edwards or Khamzat Chimaev for future opportunities.

The Official Result
Belal Muhammad def. Sean Brady R2 4:47 via TKO (Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Oct 16, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Angelo picks Belal Muhammad despite admitting it goes against his gut. He believes Belal's constant pressure and wrestling volume will be the difference, as Sean Brady has cardio issues and tends to slow down. He compares it to the Maximov vs Malkoun fight, where constant shooting won the day.

"I think I'm gonna pick him I think the cardio the shooting is gonna be the difference"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Oct 17, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Big Brady picks the underdog Belal Muhammad to win by decision. He questions Brady's takedown defense (87% but untested) and notes Brady slowed down in the Chiesa and McGee fights. Muhammad has superior cardio, volume, and takedown defense (91%). He expects Muhammad to have success in the striking as the fight goes on and win a decision.

"I'm gonna leave with the law here I think below is going to have success in the Striking I think in the first round Brady even might even take it but as the fight goes on I like the the …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 19, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Cody picks Belal as an underdog, citing his relentless pace, excellent cardio, and underrated wrestling. He notes Belal's takedowns against top competition and his solid chin. Cody thinks Brady's striking is better but Belal can grind him down. He also mentions the Abu Dhabi factor and Khabib's help.

"I will actually take another flyer here on Blow Muhammad as the underdog"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel Levi picks Belal Muhammad to win, calling it 'first L time' for Sean Brady. He praises Belal's fight IQ, cardio, and ability to adapt, noting he stuffed 20 takedowns against Damian Maia and overcame adversity against Vicente Luque. Levi thinks Belal's preparation with Khabib Nurmagomedov will help him deal with Brady's top control. He believes Belal will pull away in the second and third rounds. Levi bet 2 units at +116.

Bet 2 units at +116. Notes that the line should be closer to pick'em and that Belal is plus money.
"I got two units on below and plus 116."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 18, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Sean Brady

Brady is very difficult to take down, with only one takedown allowed in four UFC fights. He transitions well from takedown attempts to back control, as seen against Chiesa. Muhammad's wrestling-heavy style may not work, and Brady's power striking could land. Brady by decision at +150 is a solid play.

Brady by decision at +150
"give me Sean Brady Shawn Brady by decision which currently sits at plus 150"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 19, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Paul agrees with Cody, noting Belal's smart game plan and ability to stick to it. He mentions Belal's grappling success against Vicente Luque and that Brady hasn't been tested against top competition. Paul likes the plus money and picks Belal.

"Muhammad is the pick for both of us"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 17, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Sean Brady

The MMA Guru picks Sean Brady over Belal Muhammad, despite Brady being a favorite. He believes Brady's grappling threat will stifle Belal's stand-up, similar to the Damian Maia fight. He notes Brady's improvements, including a grappling match with Craig Jones, and predicts a 29-28 unanimous decision, with Brady winning the first two rounds.

"I'm going Sean Brady and I'm annoyed that he's a favorite"
WIN vs Vicente Luque
Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 48–47) R5 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 · Apr 16, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 84 of 184 45% 102 of 203 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:33
Vicente Luque 0 60 of 155 38% 136 of 260 5 of 10 50% 0 0 7:29
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 14 of 37 37% 24 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Vicente Luque 0 9 of 33 27% 35 of 65 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:39
2 Belal Muhammad 0 15 of 35 42% 18 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Vicente Luque 0 16 of 30 53% 24 of 43 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:16
3 Belal Muhammad 0 24 of 46 52% 27 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Vicente Luque 0 9 of 21 42% 21 of 39 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:21
4 Belal Muhammad 0 20 of 41 48% 21 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Vicente Luque 0 13 of 44 29% 41 of 78 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:33
5 Belal Muhammad 0 11 of 25 44% 12 of 27 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:18
Vicente Luque 0 13 of 27 48% 15 of 35 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:40
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 84 of 184 45% 54 of 141 6 of 17 24 of 26 80 of 179 2 of 3 2 of 2
Vicente Luque 60 of 155 38% 51 of 141 8 of 13 1 of 1 56 of 149 3 of 5 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 14 of 37 37% 8 of 26 1 of 5 5 of 6 13 of 36 0 of 0 1 of 1
Vicente Luque 9 of 33 27% 5 of 28 3 of 4 1 of 1 9 of 33 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Belal Muhammad 15 of 35 42% 5 of 23 2 of 3 8 of 9 15 of 35 0 of 0 0 of 0
Vicente Luque 16 of 30 53% 14 of 27 2 of 3 0 of 0 15 of 29 0 of 0 1 of 1
3 Belal Muhammad 24 of 46 52% 19 of 39 3 of 5 2 of 2 21 of 42 2 of 3 1 of 1
Vicente Luque 9 of 21 42% 9 of 20 0 of 1 0 of 0 8 of 18 1 of 3 0 of 0
4 Belal Muhammad 20 of 41 48% 15 of 34 0 of 2 5 of 5 20 of 41 0 of 0 0 of 0
Vicente Luque 13 of 44 29% 10 of 41 3 of 3 0 of 0 13 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Belal Muhammad 11 of 25 44% 7 of 19 0 of 2 4 of 4 11 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
Vicente Luque 13 of 27 48% 13 of 25 0 of 2 0 of 0 11 of 25 2 of 2 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 10, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Angelo picks Belal Muhammad as an underdog, citing Belal's wrestling and fight IQ. He notes that Vicente Luque is dangerous on the feet and has submissions, but Belal can take him down and control the fight. He references Luque's fight with Kiesa where Kiesa had success taking Luque down but got too aggressive. Angelo believes Belal will stick to a wrestling game plan and win a decision.

"i like below muhammad in the underdog spot for the main event and i imagine he's gonna grapple a lot"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Vicente Luque

Big Brady picks Vicente Luque to win, likely by finish. He notes that Luque is dangerous everywhere—on the feet and on the mat—and that Belal Muhammad's wrestling, while improved against Stephen Thompson, may not be enough to control Luque. He points out that Muhammad struggled to take down Diego Lima (1 for 10) and that Luque has solid takedown defense and submission threats. Brady expects Luque to hurt Muhammad and finish him in the second or third round.

finish inside the distance (KO or submission), round 2-3
"i think luke is going to finish muhammad at some point in this fight whether it is like a club and sub whether it is a knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Vicente Luque

Cody picks Luque but with hesitation, noting Belal's impressive wrestling against Wonderboy. He worries about Luque's cardio in a five-round fight and his takedown defense. However, he believes Luque's hand speed and striking will be key, and that Belal's record is deceiving. He sees danger if Belal extends the fight into later rounds.

"honestly i gotta go with vincente at the end of the day the line's not terrible minus 175 i believe in favor of uh luke"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Apr 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel Levi picks Belal Muhammad as a +155 underdog, emphasizing Belal's ability to adapt game plans, as seen against Stephen Thompson (wrestling) and Demian Maia (striking). He notes Belal's improved lateral movement, feints, and cardio, which should allow him to survive early danger and take over in championship rounds. Levi acknowledges Vicente Luque's elite finishing ability (second most finishes in welterweight history) and the danger of his calf kicks, left hook, and d'arce choke, but believes Belal's discipline, chain wrestling, and refusal to rush submissions will be key. He is concerned about Belal fighting during Ramadan but notes he has done so before and sounded sharp in interviews. Levi states he is biased due to his friendship with Belal but insists his analysis is objective.

Belal Muhammad +155 underdog; mentions Belal by decision or late finish possible; says 'if he don't get finished, I think there's a very good chance you win this fight'
"I'm gonna take the underdog shot, I'm below here it's like blah just please don't get knocked out and there's a good chance that you win this fight."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Vicente Luque

Paul favors Vicente Luque, citing his power, finishing ability, and danger in guard if taken down. He notes Luque trains with many wrestlers and believes his striking is superior. He acknowledges Belal's wrestling but thinks Luque's path to victory is clearer, especially with a potential finish.

"i'm still leaning towards not even leaning i like vicente luke to get the job done here"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The MMA Guru picks Belal Muhammad despite being a big Vicente Luque fan. He believes Muhammad's volume and grappling will disrupt Luque's timing, and that Luque hates volume. He expects Muhammad to wear Luque down and submit him in the fourth or fifth round via rear-naked choke. He also accuses Muhammad of using steroids, citing his physique change.

fourth or fifth round submission (rear-naked choke)
"i've got a real feeling below wins this one and i'm going to pick him by fourth round renaked choke or fifth round real naked choke"
Decision (unanimous) (30–25, 30–26, 30–26) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus · Dec 18, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 19 of 32 59% 51 of 67 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:52
Stephen Thompson 0 58 of 95 61% 171 of 271 7 of 9 77% 1 0 11:57
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 10 of 16 62% 28 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:45
Stephen Thompson 0 44 of 72 61% 64 of 111 3 of 4 75% 0 0 3:07
2 Belal Muhammad 0 7 of 11 63% 12 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Stephen Thompson 0 10 of 16 62% 42 of 64 2 of 2 100% 1 0 4:11
3 Belal Muhammad 0 2 of 5 40% 11 of 15 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:07
Stephen Thompson 0 4 of 7 57% 65 of 96 2 of 3 66% 0 0 4:39
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 19 of 32 59% 14 of 27 5 of 5 0 of 0 17 of 29 1 of 1 1 of 2
Stephen Thompson 58 of 95 61% 56 of 92 1 of 1 1 of 2 2 of 10 1 of 1 55 of 84
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 10 of 16 62% 8 of 14 2 of 2 0 of 0 8 of 13 1 of 1 1 of 2
Stephen Thompson 44 of 72 61% 42 of 69 1 of 1 1 of 2 2 of 7 1 of 1 41 of 64
2 Belal Muhammad 7 of 11 63% 5 of 9 2 of 2 0 of 0 7 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0
Stephen Thompson 10 of 16 62% 10 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 3 0 of 0 10 of 13
3 Belal Muhammad 2 of 5 40% 1 of 4 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0
Stephen Thompson 4 of 7 57% 4 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 7
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Belal Muhammad vs. Stephen Thompson

Round 1
In this pivotal co-main event, renowned karateka “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-5-1, 11-5-1 UFC) will try to keep his place in the top echelon of the welterweight division. Against him will be Muhammad (19-3, 1 NC; 10-3, 1 NC UFC), who will aim to find the secret of his power. Herb Dean will be the referee for this interesting stylistic clash, and the fighters are happy to touch gloves in a good show of sportsmanship. Thompson is quick to get to his signature style, staying out of range and backing off with kicks to the body and up high. Muhammad eats a hook kick in the face, and he shrugs it off so that he can shoot in for a double. “Wonderboy” stops it from succeeding and stings Muhammad with a left hand, and Muhammad is suddenly in trouble. Thompson spins with a kick that clatters off Muhammad’s dome, and he wears it well and blocks a few strikes that come at him. Thompson jumps forward with a strike, and Muhammad manages to power through and go for a takedown. Grabbing Thompson by his waist as they are both on their seats, they begin to slug it out from close range like a seated version of Frye vs. Takayama. After they continue to trade punches, Thompson walks his way back up using the fence, and he shucks off a standing guillotine try from Muhammad. Tight in the clinch, Thompson rips a few knees up high until Muhammad snags hold of a single to put Thompson down. “Wonderboy” manages to land on a knee so he is not flat down, and he grabs the fence to stand back up. Muhammad grapples him from behind, before turning things around to elevate Thompson and put him down. Muhammad lands on Thompson’s back, and he hunts for a rear-naked choke before flattening Thompson out with strikes. “Remember the Name” rains down punches from this advantageous position, pounding on the side of Thompson’s head while Thompson turtles up. Thompson protects himself from the brunt of the strikes that should not merit a stoppage, and he turns to his side as Muhammad continues to work him over from above. A few punches land to the back of the head, and Muhammad bludgeons Thompson relentlessly until the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 2
The welterweights touch gloves to start off the second round, and Thompson is the immediate aggressor with side kicks to the face. Thompson slings a high kick with his rear leg, and the kick is blocked but still knocks Muhammad back a step. “Wonderboy” springs in with a strike and dances out of the way, and he lands cleanly to ring Muhammad’s bell. Thompson tees off on Muhammad until Muhammad has had enough of the striking, and he closes in to latch on to Thompson and wrench him down to the mat. Thompson works his way back up, only for Muhammad to lift him up and hold his ankle to put Thompson back down flat on the canvas. The Chicago native gets into half guard, where he isolates Thompson’s right arm to set up a kimura. When that does not succeed, Muhammad begins to batter Thompson’s thigh with elbows. Thompson pulls his arm free, only for Muhammad to continue elbowing the same spot. Thompson edges his way to the wall, and he posts on his knee to stand up as Muhammad torques on his arm for a straight armlock or kimura. Thompson appears to pay it no mind, but he is still trapped on the floor with no way up as precious seconds tick off the clock. Muhammad abandons the grip so that he can turn around and get off ground-and-pound, introducing his elbow to Thompson’s face repeatedly. Thompson eats several of these shots but blocks others, and Muhammad hacks at him with elbows until the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 3
Muhammad instantly starts the round with a takedown try, and “Wonderboy” cannot stave him off with a few strikes as Muhammad advances relentlessly. Muhammad lifts Thompson’s leg all the way up in the air before putting Thompson down on the ground, and he ties Thompson’s legs up to keep him trapped. With his arm around Thompson’s back, he is able to smack Thompson in the face with short left hands. The former title challenger bursts back upright, and he fights off a subsequent takedown try with a choke attempt from above. Muhammad doggedly pursues another takedown, and he secures it in the center of the mat to put Thompson down at the midpoint of the final round. Muhammad claims half guard, and he calmly controls his opponent with light but effective ground-and-pound that keeps Dean away from standing them up. “Remember the Name” remembers that he can embrace the grind like the best of them, and he does exactly that, passing to side control and working Thompson over with elbows and hammerfists. Muhammad looks to pass to mount, but “Wonderboy” is able to at least keep that moral victory in his pocket as he is getting thoroughly outworked on the ground. Muhammad slashes Thompson with multiple elbows until the final horn ends this grueling match.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)

The Official Result
Belal Muhammad def. Stephen Thompson via Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-26)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Dec 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Angelo picks Belal Muhammad with a full unit at +200. He cites recency bias from Gilbert Burns taking Thompson down at will, and believes Muhammad, a wrestling beast, will employ a grapple-heavy game plan. He thinks Muhammad will win a unanimous decision by taking Thompson down repeatedly. Angelo admits it hurts because he loves Wonderboy, but he sees a clear path for Muhammad.

1 unit on moneyline at +200
"i threw a full unit on bilal muhammad almost immediately"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Dec 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Stephen Thompson

Big Brady picks Stephen Thompson by decision, citing his striking advantage and reach. He believes Muhammad's takedown accuracy (28%) is not enough to threaten Thompson's takedown defense and get-up game. He acknowledges the smaller cage favors Muhammad but expects Thompson to stuff takedowns and win a convincing decision.

decision
"give me a uh decision win for stephen thompson I don't like below muhammad in this spot"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 16, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Stephen Thompson

Cody is confident in Thompson, citing his superior striking and distance management. He notes that Muhammad is a generalist without elite skills, and his wins are against lower-level competition. Cody points to the Leon Edwards fight where Muhammad struggled with a fast, lateral-moving striker. He believes Thompson's takedown defense is good enough to keep the fight standing and that he will win by decision, though he acknowledges Muhammad's durability and the possibility of a KO.

"I think thompson's going to do a lot of the same thing even though he himself is getting a little bit older he still moves as good as anybody his striking is as good as anyone's"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Dec 16, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel Levi picks Belal Muhammad as a +200 underdog. He argues that Stephen Thompson has never won a fight in which he was taken down, citing losses to Woodley, Brown, and Burns. Levi notes that in Thompson's wins over Neal and Luque, those opponents attempted zero takedowns combined. He believes Muhammad's relentless wrestling and pressure will be the key, and that Thompson's age (almost 40) is a factor. Levi expects a gritty, ugly fight where Muhammad grinds out a decision or late stoppage.

Muhammad by decision or late stoppage; under on Thompson's significant strikes
"I'm going with Belal Muhammad to get the biggest win of his career... plus 200 on a guy who I know is gonna fight for my money."
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Dec 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Stephen Thompson

Jacob picks Stephen Thompson, expecting a boring decision win. He believes Thompson's footwork and karate style will allow him to bounce in and out, point-fight, and avoid takedowns. Jacob thinks if Thompson is taken down, he will get right back up. He cites Thompson's fight with Darren Till where only 71 strikes were landed combined, expecting a similar low-volume striking match.

"i think this is a boring boring boring decision win for stephen thompson"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Dec 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Stephen Thompson

The host picks Thompson by decision, believing his striking and movement will keep Muhammad at bay. He notes that Muhammad is athletically capped and will struggle to get inside. He leans towards the decision prop around even money.

"I am gonna lean more so with the decision around even money than the knockout here"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 16, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Stephen Thompson

Paul likes Thompson as the rightful favorite, emphasizing that nobody outstrikes Thompson on the feet. He notes Muhammad's wrestling is not elite and Thompson's takedown defense has improved. Paul expects Thompson to win by decision, as Muhammad has shown durability but can be wobbled, as seen in the Edwards fight.

"I like thompson here I think thompson is the rightful favorite um nobody really outstrikes thompson on the feets"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 13, 2021 (5 days before fight)
Stephen Thompson

The MMA Guru picks Stephen Thompson to win by 30-27 decision. He thinks Thompson's striking and takedown defense will be too much for Muhammad. He notes Muhammad struggles to get takedowns against top-level opponents and Thompson stuffed Burns' takedowns. He expects Thompson to out-strike Muhammad easily, though he jokes Thompson is too nice to finish.

"gotta go with stephen thompson here"
Dhiego Lima - Fight History
LOSS vs Matt Brown
KO (punch) R2 3:02 · UFC on ESPN: The Korean Zombie vs. Ige · Jun 19, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Matt Brown 1 27 of 49 55% 30 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Dhiego Lima 0 23 of 54 42% 23 of 54 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:52
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Matt Brown 0 15 of 30 50% 15 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dhiego Lima 0 12 of 32 37% 12 of 32 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Matt Brown 1 12 of 19 63% 15 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Dhiego Lima 0 11 of 22 50% 11 of 22 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:52
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Matt Brown 27 of 49 55% 12 of 27 11 of 17 4 of 5 22 of 44 5 of 5 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 23 of 54 42% 8 of 38 4 of 4 11 of 12 22 of 53 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Matt Brown 15 of 30 50% 8 of 18 4 of 8 3 of 4 15 of 30 0 of 0 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 12 of 32 37% 2 of 21 2 of 2 8 of 9 11 of 31 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Matt Brown 12 of 19 63% 4 of 9 7 of 9 1 of 1 7 of 14 5 of 5 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 11 of 22 50% 6 of 17 2 of 2 3 of 3 11 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Matt Brown

Angelo picks Matt Brown as an underdog, citing Lima's brother's recent loss as a potential emotional distraction. He thinks Brown's toughness, power, and underrated wrestling could be factors. He is not confident and has no bets on the fight, but likes the over on strikes for both.

monkey knife fight: more more (max play)
"i have matt brown winning this fight it is not the most confident pick i've ever had."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jun 15, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Dhiego Lima

Big Brady picks the younger Lima, citing Brown's age (40) and 13 finished losses. He thinks Lima's leg kicks and youth will lead to a finish, but acknowledges Brown could knock Lima out. He recommends staying away from betting.

win by KO
"I will take the younger fighter in diego lima to get it done I'll say bye knockout here"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Dhiego Lima

Cody picks Lima but is hesitant, noting Lima's questionable chin and recent split decisions. He acknowledges Matt Brown's early power but believes Brown's cardio and speed have declined. Cody thinks Lima's calf kicks and jab will allow him to pull away in later rounds, but he is not confident enough to bet.

"i think i gotta take the coward's way out and probably go with diego lima you know again i just i i don't love betting on these guys at this stage of their career"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 18, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Dhiego Lima

Daniel Levi picks Dhiego Lima, citing youth and freshness. He notes that Matt Brown is 40 years old and his durability is declining, as seen in the Miguel Baeza fight where he was knocked out by punches for the first time. He believes Lima's calf kicks and left hook will be effective, and that he can either finish or win a decision. He respects Brown but thinks the age and recent performances favor Lima.

"i'm gonna go with diego lima by being the younger fresher guy i think he chops him down with calf kicks and maybe finds a left hook finish"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Dhiego Lima

Jacob picks Dhiego Lima, expecting him to chew up Brown's legs with kicks and out-strike him. He thinks Brown's age and lack of volume will be issues. He has Lima in his lineup at $9,000 and believes Lima will dominate without a finish.

"i am picking diego he's in my lineup."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Jun 17, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Dhiego Lima

The host picks Dhiego Lima by decision, citing his calf kicks and striking advantage. He notes Lima's cardio issues in his last fight but believes he can implement a similar game plan to the Miguel Baeza fight, where calf kicks debilitated Brown. He thinks Lima can get in and out of exchanges and slow Brown down. He is not highly confident but sees Lima as the better fighter against the 40-year-old Brown, who may be on a three-fight skid.

Lima by decision at +150; over 2.5 rounds at -130 mentioned as live; Lima by KO at +400 noted
"i'll go with diego lima to win this fight via decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 16, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Dhiego Lima

Paul picks Lima, citing Lima's youth and striking advantage. He notes Brown's age (40) and declining cardio, and believes Lima can win by decision or late finish. Paul also bets under 2.5 rounds, expecting a finish either way.

under 2.5 rounds +120
"i'll pick diego lima to win this fight diego or diego lima maybe in rounds two or three i guess is where i would go"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 19, 2021 (fight day)
Dhiego Lima

The MMA Guru picks Dhiego Lima to win by first-round TKO via lead hook. He believes Matt Brown has taken too much damage and will rush in with his hands down, allowing Lima to land a check hook similar to the one Miguel Baeza landed on Brown. He references Lima's previous lead hook KO of Chad Laprise and expects Lima to finish Brown at the end of the first round.

lead hook KO, first round TKO
"i'm gonna go with diego lima i'm gonna go the lead hook ko... finish him at the end of the first round by tko"
LOSS vs Belal Muhammad
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns · Feb 13, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Belal Muhammad 0 129 of 264 48% 136 of 284 1 of 10 10% 0 0 2:42
Dhiego Lima 0 69 of 203 33% 70 of 206 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Belal Muhammad 0 42 of 93 45% 42 of 94 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:15
Dhiego Lima 0 19 of 69 27% 19 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Belal Muhammad 0 38 of 79 48% 39 of 83 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:35
Dhiego Lima 0 25 of 76 32% 25 of 76 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Belal Muhammad 0 49 of 92 53% 55 of 107 1 of 5 20% 0 0 1:52
Dhiego Lima 0 25 of 58 43% 26 of 61 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Belal Muhammad 129 of 264 48% 109 of 232 20 of 31 0 of 1 118 of 248 11 of 16 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 69 of 203 33% 26 of 156 17 of 19 26 of 28 69 of 203 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Belal Muhammad 42 of 93 45% 31 of 78 11 of 15 0 of 0 41 of 91 1 of 2 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 19 of 69 27% 10 of 57 1 of 2 8 of 10 19 of 69 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Belal Muhammad 38 of 79 48% 34 of 71 4 of 8 0 of 0 36 of 76 2 of 3 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 25 of 76 32% 7 of 58 5 of 5 13 of 13 25 of 76 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Belal Muhammad 49 of 92 53% 44 of 83 5 of 8 0 of 1 41 of 81 8 of 11 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 25 of 58 43% 9 of 41 11 of 12 5 of 5 25 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Belal Muhammad vs. Dhiego Lima

Round 1
Moving on to the welterweight division, perpetually tough out Muhammad (17-3, 8-3 UFC) looks to halt the momentum of two-time “The Ultimate Fighter” competitor Lima (15-7, 4-5 UFC). Our Octagon ranger for what could be a fun one is referee Herb Dean, and there is no glove touch to precede the action. Lima paws out with a jab as Muhammad presses the pace on him, and Muhammad crashes forward with a few punches until shooting in for a double leg takedown. The Brazilian thwarts the early takedown to break free from the position and a clinch. Muhammad allows him to circle away so that he can fling a head kick at him, and Lima is barely able to block it in time. Muhammad lands a solid left hand, and Lima pushes off with his left hand to jab the eye. There is a minor question of whether Muhammad is wearing contact lenses, and the fight resumes as Muhammad blinks it out. “Remember the Name” makes Lima remember his fists by landing several punches across the forward bow. Muhammad tattoos the body with several punches, and one of his right hands has started some swelling on Lima’s forehead. Muhammad bears down on Lima with strikes, pressuring the Brazilian and never letting Lima breathe. Muhammad wings a big right hand that collides with Lima’s temple, and he presses forward to consider a takedown but just swings a right hook instead. Lima delivers two big leg kicks to draw reactions out of Muhammad, but Muhammad is unconcerned as he pushes the pace again and rips the body with a right hand. Muhammad walks through a leg kick and plods forward to throw bombs, catching Lima on the chin repeatedly. Muhammad bobs and weaves a few punches to throw big shots, and Lima absorbs a heavy right hand. Lima is able to disrupt Muhammad’s movement for a moment with a leg kick that he and his sibling, Bellator champ Douglas Lima, are famous for. Muhammad hunts for a takedown, and he gets rebuffed and walks face-first into a huge right hand. Muhammad stumbles back, takes a quick count of his teeth, and wades back into the fray. Lima works the calf with more kicks, and Muhammad throws huge shots to make Lima bounce off the cage. Muhammad has a spinning back fist clack into Lima’s guard, and a few punches from the Roufusport export end the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 2
The two are amped up and ready to resume, so much so that Dean has to ask them back to away before engaging again. Muhammad starts up where he left off, pushing the pace aggressively to make Lima fight off his back foot. Muhammad sticks him with a jab and dips a big right hook to walk forward to fire off a single right hook. Muhammad digs the body with a kick, and he plants his gloves on Lima’s chin repeatedly. Lima wears it well, and he gives some strikes back to Muhammad, but Muhammad keeps at him with body shots. Muhammad slaps away a few punches before stepping in with a knee, and he uses the forward momentum to attack a double leg takedown. Once more, Lima defends the takedown flawlessly and backs away to gain separation. Muhammad is quick to pursue him with powerful strikes, and Lima ricochets off the fencing to land a calf kick that stuns Muhammad. Lima hits the same spot with the kick again, and Muhammad fearlessly pushes forward to throw punches in bunches. Lima continues to attack the calf, and Muhammad’s leg is marked up badly and he is struggling to put his full weight on it. Muhammad continues to throw punches in number, but they may not be quite as powerful as before with a wounded leg. Lima uses head movement to evade strikes and counter, and the two stand before one another landing at a high pace. Muhammad tries to lift his leg up to avoid a kick, but Lima still scores it. Like a zombie, Muhammad is back in Lima’s face putting shots on him to the head and body. Lima replies with punches and low kicks of his own, but Muhammad’s pressure appears to be fatiguing Lima. Muhammad shoots in low for a takedown, and he nearly takes Lima’s back standing up, but Lima manages to stay upright again. Muhammad throws a high kick but his calf gets plugged two more times, and Muhammad’s leg is nearly falling away beneath him. Muhammad takes the kicks flush, and he presses heavy on Lima into a clinch to ride out the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad

Round 3
Lima starts the round not with a leg kick, but one over the top, and Muhammad takes it well without flinching. Lima then targets the lead leg, and Muhammad marches in to throw looping shots. He clips Lima with a right hand, and Lima pushes off with his fingers outstretch, with a one finger jamming directly into Muhammad’s eye. Muhammad does not want Lima to take any time to recharge his batteries, so he tells Dean he is fine to resume. When clocked back in, Muhammad advances to throw strikes into a clinch, where once more he aims for a takedown attempt. Like every time before in this match, Lima stops the takedown from succeeding. Lima defends another that follows immediately after, and Muhammad winds up with a huge right hand that stings Lima. Muhammad gets off a solid one-two that shakes up Lima, and he rolls with punches while putting a pace on his foe. Lima lands a heavy uppercut to the chest, and Muhammad attacks with a takedown but is stuffed. Lima backs up and takes a deep breath, but Muhammad is on him throwing high volume as Lima struggles and his arms slow when throwing back. Muhammad fires to the head and body indiscriminately, with punches that have marked up Lima’s nose. Muhammad tags Lima with a one-two that forces Lima to shoot for a takedown, but Muhammad easily pulls his leg away and keeps up his brutal pressure. Muhammad lands punches over the top, and he changes levels low for a double, but Lima shoves him off. Lima lands a body kick, but in the process, Muhammad grabs hold of him and finally lands the takedown he has been pursuing for the last 14 minutes. Lima stands up, and Muhammad climbs on to his back like a backpack, securing a body triangle as the Brazilian stands up. Muhammad lands punches to the side of Lima’s head, and Lima tries to wiggle his man off of him. Muhammad does not fall away, and he maintains this position until the final horn blares.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Muhammad (30-27 Muhammad)

The Official Result
Belal Muhammad def. Dhiego Lima via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 9, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Big Brady picks Belal Muhammad to win by decision. He thinks Muhammad is better everywhere and deserving of being a big favorite. He notes that Lima absorbs more than he gives out and has been knocked out multiple times. He sees Muhammad winning by decision or possibly a knockout, and considers Muhammad a fine parlay piece.

Muhammad by decision; fine parlay piece; possible knockout
"Give me a bella mohammed here by decision i think is a fine parlay piece"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Feb 12, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel Levi picks Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision, citing his high work rate and pressure. He notes that Lima must finish to win, but Belal's output and takedown mixing should overwhelm him. He acknowledges Lima's power and calf kicks but believes Belal's pace is too much. He says Belal is the rightful favorite and should win clearly.

Belal by unanimous decision; Lima must finish to win; mentions Belal's work rate and takedowns
"i think he's the rightful favorite and i got blah mohammed to be a unanimous decision"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Feb 9, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The host picks Muhammad to win but considers the fight closer than the odds suggest. He notes that Lima has a path to victory with his striking and range, and that Muhammad's all-around game may struggle if Lima uses calf kicks effectively. He warns that he might bet Lima if the odds reach +350 or +400.

"this is a closer fight than the odds suggest so i'll pick belal muhammad to win but do not be thrown off if you see me actually make a diego lima bet this week"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The Guru picks Belal Muhammad confidently, calling it one of his most confident picks on the card. He believes Muhammad's wrestling and stand-up will be too much for Dhiego Lima, who he sees as chinny and lacking durability. He predicts Muhammad will mix takedowns with striking, wear Lima down, and finish with ground-and-pound TKO in the second round.

Muhammad by second round TKO via ground and pound
"balaam mohammed gets the job done by second round ground and pound tko"
WIN vs Luke Jumeau
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 243: Whittaker vs. Adesanya · Oct 05, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Dhiego Lima 0 24 of 95 25% 24 of 95 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Luke Jumeau 0 32 of 105 30% 49 of 124 2 of 6 33% 0 0 2:39
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Dhiego Lima 0 7 of 28 25% 7 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Luke Jumeau 0 9 of 37 24% 9 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Dhiego Lima 0 7 of 28 25% 7 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Luke Jumeau 0 9 of 32 28% 25 of 50 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:56
3 Dhiego Lima 0 10 of 39 25% 10 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Luke Jumeau 0 14 of 36 38% 15 of 37 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:43
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Dhiego Lima 24 of 95 25% 17 of 85 1 of 4 6 of 6 24 of 95 0 of 0 0 of 0
Luke Jumeau 32 of 105 30% 15 of 72 2 of 12 15 of 21 30 of 99 0 of 0 2 of 6
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Dhiego Lima 7 of 28 25% 3 of 24 0 of 0 4 of 4 7 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
Luke Jumeau 9 of 37 24% 2 of 18 1 of 9 6 of 10 9 of 37 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Dhiego Lima 7 of 28 25% 7 of 25 0 of 3 0 of 0 7 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
Luke Jumeau 9 of 32 28% 5 of 26 0 of 1 4 of 5 7 of 26 0 of 0 2 of 6
3 Dhiego Lima 10 of 39 25% 7 of 36 1 of 1 2 of 2 10 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Luke Jumeau 14 of 36 38% 8 of 28 1 of 2 5 of 6 14 of 36 0 of 0 0 of 0
WIN vs Court McGee
Decision (split) (30–27, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson · Apr 27, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Dhiego Lima 1 65 of 228 28% 69 of 232 0 of 8 0% 0 0 1:01
Court McGee 0 65 of 159 40% 67 of 161 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:41
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Dhiego Lima 0 16 of 58 27% 18 of 60 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:37
Court McGee 0 18 of 39 46% 20 of 41 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:24
2 Dhiego Lima 0 23 of 82 28% 23 of 82 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Court McGee 0 22 of 58 37% 22 of 58 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:17
3 Dhiego Lima 1 26 of 88 29% 28 of 90 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:24
Court McGee 0 25 of 62 40% 25 of 62 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Dhiego Lima 65 of 228 28% 28 of 166 15 of 34 22 of 28 60 of 223 4 of 4 1 of 1
Court McGee 65 of 159 40% 47 of 135 16 of 22 2 of 2 62 of 155 3 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Dhiego Lima 16 of 58 27% 6 of 38 6 of 14 4 of 6 15 of 57 1 of 1 0 of 0
Court McGee 18 of 39 46% 11 of 30 7 of 9 0 of 0 18 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Dhiego Lima 23 of 82 28% 10 of 62 4 of 9 9 of 11 23 of 82 0 of 0 0 of 0
Court McGee 22 of 58 37% 18 of 51 3 of 6 1 of 1 21 of 57 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Dhiego Lima 26 of 88 29% 12 of 66 5 of 11 9 of 11 22 of 84 3 of 3 1 of 1
Court McGee 25 of 62 40% 18 of 54 6 of 7 1 of 1 23 of 59 2 of 3 0 of 0
WIN vs Chad Laprise
KO (punch) R1 1:37 · UFC 231: Holloway vs. Ortega · Dec 08, 2018
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Dhiego Lima 0 8 of 16 50% 8 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Chad Laprise 1 5 of 25 20% 5 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Dhiego Lima 0 8 of 16 50% 8 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Chad Laprise 1 5 of 25 20% 5 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Dhiego Lima 8 of 16 50% 2 of 9 0 of 1 6 of 6 8 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Chad Laprise 5 of 25 20% 4 of 23 1 of 1 0 of 1 5 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Dhiego Lima 8 of 16 50% 2 of 9 0 of 1 6 of 6 8 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Chad Laprise 5 of 25 20% 4 of 23 1 of 1 0 of 1 5 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
LOSS vs Yushin Okami
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) R3 5:00 · UFC on Fox: Poirier vs. Gaethje · Apr 14, 2018
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Yushin Okami 0 11 of 24 45% 17 of 31 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Dhiego Lima 0 15 of 19 78% 57 of 66 6 of 13 46% 0 0 12:30
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Yushin Okami 0 2 of 4 50% 2 of 4 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dhiego Lima 0 4 of 6 66% 10 of 13 1 of 4 25% 0 0 4:10
2 Yushin Okami 0 9 of 18 50% 13 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Dhiego Lima 0 1 of 2 50% 13 of 15 2 of 5 40% 0 0 3:47
3 Yushin Okami 0 0 of 2 0% 2 of 4 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Dhiego Lima 0 10 of 11 90% 34 of 38 3 of 4 75% 0 0 4:33
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Yushin Okami 11 of 24 45% 6 of 16 3 of 6 2 of 2 6 of 19 3 of 3 2 of 2
Dhiego Lima 15 of 19 78% 14 of 18 0 of 0 1 of 1 2 of 3 0 of 0 13 of 16
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Yushin Okami 2 of 4 50% 0 of 1 0 of 1 2 of 2 2 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 4 of 6 66% 4 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 6
2 Yushin Okami 9 of 18 50% 6 of 13 3 of 5 0 of 0 4 of 13 3 of 3 2 of 2
Dhiego Lima 1 of 2 50% 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Yushin Okami 0 of 2 0% 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Dhiego Lima 10 of 11 90% 9 of 10 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 9 of 10
LOSS vs Jesse Taylor
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 0:43 · The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption Finale · Jul 07, 2017
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jesse Taylor 1 4 of 4 100% 6 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dhiego Lima 0 21 of 24 87% 50 of 59 2 of 3 66% 2 1 5:29
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jesse Taylor 0 2 of 2 100% 4 of 4 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dhiego Lima 0 19 of 22 86% 48 of 57 2 of 3 66% 1 0 4:53
2 Jesse Taylor 1 2 of 2 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Dhiego Lima 0 2 of 2 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 --- 1 1 0:36
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jesse Taylor 4 of 4 100% 4 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 3 of 3
Dhiego Lima 21 of 24 87% 21 of 24 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 20 of 23
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jesse Taylor 2 of 2 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 2
Dhiego Lima 19 of 22 86% 19 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 19 of 22
2 Jesse Taylor 2 of 2 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1
Dhiego Lima 2 of 2 100% 2 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1
LOSS vs Li Jingliang
KO (punches) R1 1:25 · UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber · May 16, 2015
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Li Jingliang 1 13 of 39 33% 13 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:12
Dhiego Lima 0 6 of 16 37% 6 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Li Jingliang 1 13 of 39 33% 13 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:12
Dhiego Lima 0 6 of 16 37% 6 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Li Jingliang 13 of 39 33% 13 of 38 0 of 0 0 of 1 4 of 24 0 of 0 9 of 15
Dhiego Lima 6 of 16 37% 5 of 14 1 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Li Jingliang 13 of 39 33% 13 of 38 0 of 0 0 of 1 4 of 24 0 of 0 9 of 15
Dhiego Lima 6 of 16 37% 5 of 14 1 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Expert Picks (4)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 9, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Big Brady picks Belal Muhammad to win by decision. He thinks Muhammad is better everywhere and deserving of being a big favorite. He notes that Lima absorbs more than he gives out and has been knocked out multiple times. He sees Muhammad winning by decision or possibly a knockout, and considers Muhammad a fine parlay piece.

Muhammad by decision; fine parlay piece; possible knockout
"Give me a bella mohammed here by decision i think is a fine parlay piece"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Feb 12, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Belal Muhammad

Daniel Levi picks Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision, citing his high work rate and pressure. He notes that Lima must finish to win, but Belal's output and takedown mixing should overwhelm him. He acknowledges Lima's power and calf kicks but believes Belal's pace is too much. He says Belal is the rightful favorite and should win clearly.

Belal by unanimous decision; Lima must finish to win; mentions Belal's work rate and takedowns
"i think he's the rightful favorite and i got blah mohammed to be a unanimous decision"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Feb 9, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The host picks Muhammad to win but considers the fight closer than the odds suggest. He notes that Lima has a path to victory with his striking and range, and that Muhammad's all-around game may struggle if Lima uses calf kicks effectively. He warns that he might bet Lima if the odds reach +350 or +400.

"this is a closer fight than the odds suggest so i'll pick belal muhammad to win but do not be thrown off if you see me actually make a diego lima bet this week"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Belal Muhammad

The Guru picks Belal Muhammad confidently, calling it one of his most confident picks on the card. He believes Muhammad's wrestling and stand-up will be too much for Dhiego Lima, who he sees as chinny and lacking durability. He predicts Muhammad will mix takedowns with striking, wear Lima down, and finish with ground-and-pound TKO in the second round.

Muhammad by second round TKO via ground and pound
"balaam mohammed gets the job done by second round ground and pound tko"