Belal Muhammad Claims Fighters Use Rankings To Avoid Fights
Belal Muhammad was last seen in action at UFC 236, defeating Curtis Millender by way of unanimous decision.
A victorious Muhammad isn’t ranked at the moment, but he does believe that ranked fighters do use their ranking to avoid certain fights.
“It’s more frustrating just because guys use rankings as an excuse not to fight,” Muhammad said after the event (via Mike Bohn & Ken Hathaway of MMA Junkie). “In the old days if you’re on a streak you fight a guy on a streak. Rankings don’t matter in the old days. … Everyone is trying to think about it too much from a business standpoint. If you’re a real fighter you’ll fight anybody anyway. If you call me I’m going to answer the phone and I’ll get my mouthpiece and I’m ready to go.”
The fighter has a 6-3-0 record under the UFC banner, but hasn’t been ranked yet while in the promotion.
Muhammad doesn’t know if his next opponent is going to be ranked, but the fighter wants to return to action this summer.
“I’m hoping to fight in July during International Fight Week,” Muhammad said. “I hope for an exciting fight. Niko Price, we were supposed to fight before. Something happened with him, he has to pull out so I feel like that would be a good fight for the fans. Li Jingliang is another good guy I would like to fight. If he turns it down give me Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. I’m just ready to fight anybody. I have it all written down. I have a hit list.”
There is only one event this year during UFC International Fight Week and that is UFC 239, so spots are going to be at a premium on that card.
