In a recent interview, UFC President Dana White addressed the rumors surrounding his alleged displeasure over Belal Muhammad’s title victory at UFC 304. White denied the claims, stating that he was simply in a “bad mood” during the post-fight press conference.
“Let me say this to be fair, I was tired. I was in a bad mood. I was, you know, at that press conference, and you know it depends on when you catch me… Everybody thinks that I don’t like Belal,… that’s the furthest thing from the truth,” White said.
The UFC boss also praised Muhammad’s social media prowess, revealing that the champion’s belt wrap video received an impressive 22 million views, significantly more than the reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s 8.2 million views.
“To put it into perspective, the belt wrap for Tom Aspinall did 8.2 million views. Belal’s belt wrap did 22 million views! …so for people to think that people don’t care about Belal Muhammad, this right here proves that’s not true,” White stated.
Prior to his title victory, Muhammad had been training with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s team in preparation for his bout against Leon Edwards. White credited Nurmagomedov’s influence as a key factor in Muhammad’s successful performance.
“It was not a barnburner… I know Belal’s been training with Khabib, so his performance was what you would expect,” White said.
Muhammad, who hails from a Palestinian-American background, has emerged as a prominent figure in the UFC’s welterweight division. His title win has solidified his status as a top contender, and it seems that the promotion is embracing his rising popularity.
