Despite becoming the welterweight world champion, Belal Muhammad still prefers to be seen as the underdog rather than a fan favorite. The Palestinian-American fighter, known as Remember the Name, continues to walk his own path—even as more fans begin to support him.
On May 11, 2025, in Montreal, Muhammad will face his biggest challenge yet when he defends his title against Australian Jack Della Maddalena in a highly anticipated bout at UFC 315. Muhammad has not fought since July 2024 due to a foot injury that kept him out of UFC 311, where he was originally scheduled to defend his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov. Although a rematch was planned for UFC 315, Rakhmonov’s withdrawal opened the door for Maddalena.
With eleven straight fights without a loss, Muhammad is technically one of the most skilled fighters on the roster. Yet, paradoxically, he remains one of the least popular—largely due to his methodical and control-oriented fighting style, which some fans find less exciting.
“I don’t want fans. I want doubters.”
Though he started with little fanfare, Muhammad has gained more attention since his victory over Leon Edwards. But that attention hasn’t exactly thrilled him. In an interview with MMA Junkie, he explained:
“I’m like, ‘Man, stay away from me—I don’t want fans.’ I want doubters. I want people telling me I’m going to lose. That’s what motivates me to train harder.”
He adds:
“That’s why I keep a tight circle of teammates who help keep me grounded. There are no easy fights in this sport, no easy wins—no matter what the fans say.”
Muhammad approaches every fight with the hunger of a man still chasing the belt.
“To me, it’s not about defending the title. It’s about fighting for it again. It took me years to get this belt and the attention—I’m not giving it up.”
Praised by Khabib and Ready for War
Even Khabib Nurmagomedov has praised Belal Muhammad’s discipline and dedication. For his part, Muhammad refuses to underestimate any opponent:
“In my mind, I’m preparing to face the best striker in the world. I’m training like I’m fighting Canelo Alvarez.”
With this warrior mindset, Belal Muhammad enters UFC 315 not only to defend his championship, but to prove that legacy is earned through perseverance—not popularity.
