Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has issued a stern territorial warning to Dricus Du Plessis ahead of the South African’s middleweight title defense at UFC 319. He made it clear that the champion won’t find a warm welcome in the Windy City.
Despite Muhammad’s well-documented animosity toward Khamzat Chimaev’s opponent, the Chicago native has made his allegiances crystal clear for the upcoming bout. In a message delivered through his YouTube channel, Muhammad left no room for interpretation about where his loyalties lie.
“Bro, this is my city, it’s a big card next week, a huge main event,” Muhammad declared. “If you need anything in Chicago, food, groceries, therapists, cage, gym, sauna – make sure you don’t hit me up, you’re not welcome here.”
The former champion’s hostility toward Du Plessis stems from a longstanding rivalry that intensified during Muhammad’s reign at welterweight. When Muhammad held the 170-pound title, he regularly teased potential moves to middleweight specifically to challenge Du Plessis.
The bad blood reached new heights after Muhammad lost his welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. Du Plessis seized the opportunity to publicly mock the dethroned champion.
Muhammad’s territorial stance becomes even more intriguing given his recent hints about pursuing the winner of the Du Plessis versus Chimaev matchup. The Chicago native has audaciously suggested he deserves a shot at middleweight gold, despite having just lost his own championship earlier this year.
“Chicago, if you see him, let him know we don’t like his kind. Go Khamzat,” Muhammad continued in his message, making his preferred outcome abundantly clear.
Du Plessis vs Chimaev is already one of the most anticipated middleweight title defenses in recent memory. Du Plessis specifically requested this matchup following his successful title defense against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, though visa complications delayed the bout until now.
Du Plessis has built a reputation as one of the promotion’s most controversial champions due to his outspoken personality and unorthodox approach. The South African has consistently found himself at odds with various competitors throughout his rise to championship status.
Muhammad’s potential permanent move to middleweight is also of interest to fans. However, any championship aspirations would likely require the former welterweight champion to work his way through a crowded field of contenders before earning a title opportunity.
