The journey of Belal Muhammad took an abrupt turn on Saturday night. After beginning 2025 as the UFC welterweight champion, Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) now finds himself on the first two-fight losing streak of his professional career. He lost the title to Jack Della Maddalena in May, and then suffered a unanimous-decision defeat to Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) on the main card of UFC Fight Night 265 in Doha, Qatar.
But instead of retreating into blame or excuses, Muhammad offered a composed, forward-looking response.
A Career First and a Quarter-Life Moment
Muhammad had never lost back-to-back fights in his MMA career. Before Saturday, he was riding a 12-fight unbeaten streak at 170 lbs and had firmly established himself among the division’s top tier.
Yet boxing and MMA move quickly. With only months after his championship reign, Muhammad now faces the fallout of consecutive defeats, at 37 years old, in a division that’s rapidly evolving and already led by fighters like Islam Makhachev.
As the lights turned off in Doha, Muhammad took to Instagram to share his mindset: gratitude for the opportunity, accountability for the outcome, and a promise to return stronger.
Machado Garry Showed Up Muhammad’s Game Plan Didn’t
In his pre-fight comments to MMA Junkie, Muhammad said he aimed to “outbox” Machado Garry a stylistic approach that hinted at confidence in his range and movement.
The reality of fight night told a different story:
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Significant strikes landed: Machado Garry 72 – Muhammad 56
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Takedown attempts by Muhammad: 7 — All defended by Machado Garry’s strong defense
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Muhammad couldn’t find a consistent path inside the reach or rhythm of Machado Garry, who timed counters and controlled range with maturity beyond his years.
It was a night where Muhammad’s usual tools wrestling, scrappy clinch work, and volume striking came up short against a sharper, faster young contender who had been waiting for his moment.
What Comes Next?
With the loss likely knocking Muhammad out of the top three perhaps even outside the top five the question becomes: Where does he go from here?
At 37, time is both less generous and more precious. But Muhammad’s response suggests he’s not ready to fade.
He’s a veteran with a reputation for durability and a style built on gritty efficiency. His message is clear: the era of excuses is over.
“I made no excuses,” Muhammad declared post-fight. “I’m going back, I’m getting better. I’ll be in the mix again.”
For the welterweight division, that’s significant.
Whether he can turn this setback into a comeback will depend on:
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Recalibrating his game plan for younger, more dynamic opponents
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Regaining confidence after the first major losses of his career
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Finding the right opponent and timing to get back into title contention
Final Take
Belal Muhammad’s slide from champion to back-to-back loser could have marked a fade-out moment.
Instead, his attitude and reaction suggest something different a veteran hungry not just to regain what he lost, but to reinvent.
The welterweight division is changing fast. If Muhammad wants to stay relevant, he’ll need to prove he isn’t finished that he’s still a force.
And if his words hold true, his next chapter could be his most important.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
