Robert Whittaker Rubs Salt on Belal Muhammad’s Wounds as Advice to Islam Makhachev Comes Back to Haunt Him After UFC 315 Loss

Belal Muhammad’s journey to a title shot was one many thought would never happen. But last year, Dana White & Co. finally handed him the opportunity he had long been chasing. After capturing the welterweight crown, his reign was short-lived, losing the belt in his very first title defense, less than a year later. This week at UFC 315 in Montreal, the iconic Bell Centre set the stage for a high-stakes clash as the American stepped in against surging Australian star Jack Della Maddalena.

What unfolded was a savage display of striking dominance. Jack Della Maddalena battered Belal Muhammad, breaking his nose, damaging his orbital bone, and splitting his lip—a beatdown so intense that it had Dana White shouting, “What a war!” By the final horn, Maddalena had secured a unanimous decision victory, abruptly derailing Belal’s hopes of a long and dominant title reign. Despite the crushing loss, the Arab-American kept his composure and showed grace in defeat. He shared a message with his supporters, saying, “Allah’s plan is the best plan… I’ll be back.”

In addition, Belal Muhammad made a bold pre-fight vow, revealed by Robert Whittaker, where the American declared, “I’m not leaving Montreal without that belt.” Now, with the title gone, Muhammad has become the target of widespread ridicule across the MMA world. Fellow fighters have joined in the mockery, with some even joking about where he lives following the defeat. Yet behind the laughs lies a serious question: Will ‘Remember The Name’ ever get another shot at UFC gold? Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker doesn’t think so.

Appearing on the MMArcade podcast alongside host Jonny Rose, Whittaker pointed to Belal Muhammad’s age and the fact that he couldn’t manage a single title defense. Jonny Rose posed the question bluntly, “Is it safe to say for Belal—especially because he didn’t have a title defense and how hard it was for him to even get a title shot in the first place — he probably never sees another title shot ever again, right?” Whittaker couldn’t help but laugh, though he did show empathy, “Poor Belal. He gets cooked everywhere, right?” The host didn’t hold back, adding to Belal’s reputation in the MMA community: “He’s probably the most disliked and boring fighter out there.”

‘The Reaper’ responded candidly, “I don’t know why everyone hates him so much, but I don’t spend a lot of time on socials watching everything, so…” The conversation eventually returned to Belal’s now-infamous pre-fight declaration. Whittaker recalled the moment, though Jonny Rose quickly corrected him: “No, you do. He said to Islam, ‘Dude, book your next flight. I’m not leaving without the title.’”

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With Belal Muhammad now dethroned as the welterweight champion, his loss didn’t just crush his personal dream—it also ended fans’ hopes of witnessing the highly anticipated lightweight superfight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. However, now that the American-Palestinian is no longer the titleholder, Makhachev’s path to his second belt has opened up.

Still, the question remains: what exactly went down at UFC 315? What led to Belal Muhammad’s downfall? Let’s take a closer look.

Team Khabib’s coach revealed the reason behind Belal Muhammad’s downfall

Belal Muhammad had gone undefeated since April 2019, racking up an impressive 10-fight win streak. His dominant run made a strong case for a title shot, one that even Dana White and UFC brass couldn’t ignore, earning him a chance to face Leon Edwards last year, which he successfully seized. Despite the impressive streak, however, ‘Remember the Name’s wrestling-heavy style often garnered criticism for being “boring,” and his resume was notably devoid of knockout finishes, with only a few submission victories—the majority of his wins coming by decision.

He said, “None of us thought that Belal would be able to beat him just standing, so he wanted to do what none of us thought he could do. That’s what I’m thinking. I could be wrong, but that’s what it appeared like to me. I used to be on Khabib all the time because everyone always criticized him for not being good at striking.” Now at 36, with retirement potentially on the horizon, the question lingers—will the Palestinian-American welterweight get another shot at UFC gold? Drop your thoughts below.

The post Robert Whittaker Rubs Salt on Belal Muhammad’s Wounds as Advice to Islam Makhachev Comes Back to Haunt Him After UFC 315 Loss appeared first on EssentiallySports.