A UFC welterweight contender recently claimed that the reigning Lightweight Champion, Islam Makhachev, is a more difficult fight than the 170-pound titleholder, Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad, who is quite active on social media, was quick to issue a seven-word retort.
Belal Muhammad Reacts to Being Called an Easier Fight than Islam Makhachev
Both Belal Muhammad and Islam Makhachev stand as reigning UFC champions, which speaks volumes about their in-Octagon prowess. Makhachev claimed the UFC lightweight title with a victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 and has defended his title four times since then.
On the other hand, Muhammad had to string a 10-fight undefeated streak, one of which was a no-contest, to receive a shot at the UFC welterweight gold against Leon Edwards. “Remember The Name” finally received his much-desired opportunity at UFC 304, which he made the most of to become the champion of his division.
However, most of the UFC community considers Makhachev a far more credible UFC champion than Muhammad. While Makhachev is hailed for his dominant ground game and overall mastery in fighting, Muhammad finds himself being targeted by fans for a less exciting fighting style.
Despite boasting a remarkable ground game himself, Muhammad is also criticized by fans due to the meager number of finishes on his resume. A look at the Chicago native’s UFC record reveals that he has finished only three out of his nineteen UFC rivals to date.
In a recent interview with MMA Today, UFC welterweight Carlos Prates compared Makhachev and Muhammad as potential opponents.
“I think Islam is much better than Belal Muhammad,” Prates said. “I don’t know if he’s a better fighter, but it is much harder to win a fight against Makhachev than Belal Muhammad. He’s good in his striking, he’s good on the ground.”
However, he also lauded Muhammad’s wrestling pedigree and unwavering spirit, saying, “Belal Muhammad has a really good level of wrestling and his mindset is also really good.”
Carlos Prates Says Islam Makhachev Is Tougher Matchup For Him Than Belal Muhammad:👀
"It's gonna be tough, it's gonna be a hard fight because Islam is much better than Belal Muhammad. It's much harder to beat Islam Makhachev than Belal. But when I fight for the belt, I don't… pic.twitter.com/Rbvt5IwW8Q
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) April 20, 2025
Muhammad didn’t feel very good about Prates, a welterweight himself, labeling him an inferior opponent to Makhachev. The 36-year-old clapped back at the Brazilian fighter with a seven-word reply in the comments section, saying, “I would take this nerd’s lunch money.”
I would take this nerds lunch money
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) April 20, 2025
Muhammad’s reply implies that he considers himself a tougher rival for Prates than Makhachev at welterweight. This comes amid the ongoing conversation surrounding Makhachev’s potential move up to the 170-pound weight class.
What stands between Makhachev and a shot at double championship right now is Muhammad’s brotherly relationship with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team.
In a previous interview with Barstool Chicago, the reigning welterweight champ mentioned that he would “never fight” Makhachev due to their strong interpersonal bonding and mutual respect.
“We’ve trained together. When you’re sweating with somebody and you’re bleeding with somebody and you train with somebody like that, it’s just a different relationship.
Prates, meanwhile, is on an 11-fight winning streak and has won all four of his fights in the UFC. He will face Ian Machado Garry next at UFC Kansas City on April 26.