Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad recently weighed in on the much-discussed UFC event expected to take place at the White House, offering his thoughts on the matchups and what he believes fans were actually hoping to see.
Speaking in a recent video, Muhammad admitted the official lineup caught him off guard, especially given the early hype surrounding the card.
“When I first saw it, I was surprised,” he said. “It’s definitely not the card I thought they were hyping up when you had [Donald] Trump saying there were going to be 10 title matches. I think there’s what: two title matches on there?”
Despite some disappointment about the overall lineup, Muhammad still had strong opinions about several of the featured matchups.
One matchup he believes fans may be underestimating is the bout between featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and former interim lightweight title challenger Justin Gaethje. While many observers have questioned Gaethje’s chances following his last outing, Muhammad warned that the veteran’s knockout power remains a serious threat.
“I think people are definitely counting out Justin,” Muhammad said. “Especially the way he looked in his last match. But don’t forget about the staph infection he had, and don’t forget about Gaethje’s power. He’s one of those guys that can put you to sleep.”
Muhammad also expressed interest in the light heavyweight clash between champion Alex Pereira and top contender Magomed Ankalaev. With heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall reportedly unavailable and negotiations for a Pereira match with Jon Jones failing to materialize, Muhammad believes the matchup makes sense.
“I like that match,” he said. “I think it’s going to be exciting. Especially with Aspinall out, it makes a lot of sense. I know people wanted Jon Jones. I wanted Jon Jones, but obviously the negotiations didn’t go well.”
Another matchup Muhammad highlighted involves Canadian bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi, who he believes has a real opportunity to break through on a major stage. Zahabi, currently riding a winning streak and coached by his brother Firas Zahabi, is someone Muhammad feels many observers may be overlooking.
“Aiemann is on a big streak right now,” Muhammad said. “He’s from Canada, so you’ve got that Canada–USA rivalry fighting on the White House lawn. It’s a huge opportunity for him to make a name for himself. He figures out ways to win, and for O’Malley or anybody else underestimating him, you’ve got to think twice. Firas Zahabi is one of the best coaches in the world.”
Muhammad also predicted a breakout moment for featherweight contender Steve Garcia in his matchup with Diego Lopes, describing Garcia as a dangerous and underrated fighter.
“Garcia is a beast,” Muhammad said. “I think people are sleeping on him. He’s got power, he’s got speed, he’s got hands. I think it’s a bad matchup for Diego. I think the people of the world are going to remember his name after this match.”
However, Muhammad had more concerns about the bout involving rising middleweight prospect Bo Nickal. After Nickal suffered a setback against Reinier de Ridder, Muhammad questioned whether the wrestling standout will be ready for the challenges ahead against his next opponent, Chris Daukaus.
“For Bo Nickal, who we saw lose to a guy with striking like RDR, that loss doesn’t look great for him now,” Muhammad said. “Bo needs to be ready for everything because Daukaus has way more power and way more speed.”
Muhammad also offered an assessment of what the crowd at the White House event might look like. Unlike traditional UFC cards filled with die-hard fans, he believes the audience will likely consist of wealthy guests and political insiders rather than hardcore MMA supporters.
“When I picture the people that are there watching, I picture something like The Hunger Games,” he said. “All the rich, snobby people sitting at the top, not really paying attention. They might react if they see blood or a knockout, but they’re not real fans, so who cares?”
Ultimately, Muhammad believes the biggest issue with the event is that it doesn’t feature the blockbuster matchups many fans expected when the show was first teased. According to him, the public had far bigger matchups in mind.
“What most people were expecting was Jon Jones versus Pereira, Ilia versus Islam Makhachev, Conor McGregor versus Michael Chandler, and Muhammad Ali versus Cory Sandhagen,” he said.
While the final lineup may not match the early hype, Muhammad made it clear that several of the matches on the card still have the potential to produce memorable moments once the cage door closes.
