The new welterweight champ, the first person of Palestinian descent to capture the title, speaks to TRT World about pushing through defeat and the need for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Belal Muhammad reacts after winning his fight against Leon Edwards during UFC 304 in Manchester, Britain - July 28, 2024. / Photo: Reuters
Nobody wanted to fight me, so we took that fight short notice, after a fight before that. And also before that, I had three surgeries on my eye, and I had multiple eye surgeries with laser and retinal detachment. So it wasn't like the first time I got injured there. Nobody's ever done that in the UFC who wasn't a champion already. I had to take the long road to get to the title, the longer road to wait for the title shot and then finally get the rematch with Leon this time.
But for myself, I know what I'm capable of. I know my team knows what I'm capable of, so I knew if I had that chance, I would show them how great I am. So let's go out there and dominate them and beat them like that. That was my goal. I wasn't even thinking about the belt. It was just beating him and showing the world that I was better than him.
And for even myself, you want to educate yourself even more so you can answer those questions. So I know that I'm put here for a reason. You know, God puts everybody into a place for a reason. God makes everything happen for a reason. But not anymore now, because I think about them every day. I see them every day, and it makes me work that much harder in the room every day, in the practice room, in the training room, and I don't take my foot off the gas at all, even when people said, 'oh, he's 36 years old, there hasn't been a champion or a guy over 36 who won a title and they said he's not gonna be able to do it.
It happens for a reason. I've had many losses in my career. I had three losses in my career, but I realised afterward that it happened for a reason, and I gained something from every one of those losses. After every one of the losses, I knew stuff that I had to fix. I fixed this, I fixed that, I fixed this, and then it just made me that much of a better fighter.So now that I'm where I'm at, now I look back at it and be like, God made that happen for a reason.
Turkey Middle East Africa Europe China Us Germany News Breaking News Context Explainer Opinion Economy Business Trends Humans Globalisation Russia Rt Trt Trt World Journalism Human Interest
日本 最新ニュース, 日本 見出し
Similar News:他のニュース ソースから収集した、これに似たニュース記事を読むこともできます。
Belal Muhammad Proposes Legacy Fight with Ex-UFC Champ - ‘Right There Under GSP'Muhammad says a win over Kamaru Usman can make his resume 'neck-and-neck' with that of Georges St-Pierre.
続きを読む »
UFC CEO Dana White Calls Out 'Douchebag' Reporter For Belal Muhammad Flag QuestionThe UFC CEO scorched Earth regarding media questions at the UFC 304 post-fight presser.
続きを読む »
UFC Rankings: Belal Muhammad Edges Closer to Jon Jones, Topuria in P4P ListUFC WW champ Belal Muhammad toppled Sean O'Malley in the latest P4P change.
続きを読む »
Belal Muhammad Crowns Himself Champion at UFC 304Muhammad overwhelmed Leon Edwards in their welterweight title bout
続きを読む »
Belal Muhammad Dominates Leon Edwards in UFC 304 Main EventBelal Muhammad dominated Leon Edwards to claim the UFC welterweight title when the pair met in the main event of UFC 304.
続きを読む »
Belal Muhammad wrestles away Leon Edwards' crown at UFC 304Belal Muhammad used superior grappling and improved striking to outpoint Leon Edwards and become the new welterweight champion Saturday at UFC 304.
続きを読む »