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)