Belal Muhammad recently expressed his wish to venture into the middleweight division of the UFC. However, while Muhammad cited it as an easy opportunity, he was quick to get a warning from a seasoned campaigner. UFC welterweight prospect Joaquin Buckley has had his share of ups and downs in the UFC. One of such antics includes his transition into the middleweight division. Having had firsthand experience of how things are, Buckley has a strong recommendation for Muhammad.
Speaking about the 185 lbs division of the promotion, Buckley recalled his crushing losses. One of the shocking ones came when he suffered a head-kick loss to Alessio Di Chirico. Warning Muhammad of the impending threat that awaits, Buckley reasoned why he went down to 170.
“If you’re moving up, I’m telling you bro, they hit a little bit different up there. Trust me, I know. That’s why my ass went down to 170, I swear to god,” said Buckley.
Joaquin Buckley warns Belal Muhammad about moving up to 185:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 18, 2025
“If you’re moving up, I’m telling you bro, they hit a little bit different up there. Trust me, I know.
That’s why my ass went down to 170, I swear to god.”
🎥 @Newmansa94 #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/bxsBeBVULu
Well, Buckley also had some significant success in the 185 lbs division. He secured a KO victory over Jordan Wright and a TKO victory over Albert Duraev. However, despite the warning, Belal Muhammad seems extremely confident.
Belal Muhammad Downplays Middleweight Challenges
Belal Muhammad has expressed his opinions on leaving the welterweight title vacant for Islam Makhachev to clinch. Instead, the current UFC welterweight champion has opined that he would be more than willing to fight in the middleweight division. Speaking about his chances, Muhammad opined that apart from Khamzat Chimaev, there were other significant threats.
“I think 185 is probably the easiest weight class, besides Khamzat. Bro, Strickland and Du Plessis suck,” Muhammad chimed in.
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Belal Muhammad says he would never fight Islam Makhachev, and would rather move up to 185 and let Islam fight for the 170 title
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 16, 2025
“I think 185 is probably the easiest weight class, besides Khamzat. Bro, Strickland and Du Plessis suck.”
🎥 @barstoolchicagopic.twitter.com/uwAKNSVHtk
Thus, it is evident that Belal Muhammad would probably try to transition into a more tough division. However, with him due to defend his welterweight title yet, it seems quite unlikely that Dana White will give him a chance right away. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
Also Read: Belal Muhammad Breaks Down Step-by-Step Plan To Dominate And Claim UFC Double Champ Status
