Dricus du Plessis Responds to Belal Muhammad’s Claims
Dricus du Plessis, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, has some strong words for Belal Muhammad, the welterweight champion. In a recent interview with Barstool Chicago, Muhammad made a bold statement about the entire middleweight division, including du Plessis. He said, “185 is probably the easiest weight class—besides Khamzat [Chimaev]. When you look at that [UFC 312] main event, you’re like, ‘Bro, Strickland and du Plessis suck.’” These comments did not go unnoticed by du Plessis, who, during an interview with The Ariel Helwani Show, fired back with a few remarks of his own.
Du Plessis’ Witty Retort
Du Plessis did not hold back when it came to addressing Muhammad’s comments. “Belal Muhammad, I can’t even remember the way he fights, I don’t know,” du Plessis said. “Has he ever finished anyone? … I mean, I like how he acts as if he has a choice to ever go up to 185. The UFC will never let him. If he wanted to, he’d have to abandon his belt, give up his belt, vacate, and go up to 185, and there’s no way they give him a direct title shot. There’s no way. The UFC doesn’t even like Belal Muhammad.” Du Plessis also pointed out that Muhammad has not yet defended his belt, suggesting that his online persona is much stronger than his performance in the octagon. “He hasn’t even defended his belt once. He’s definitely better on Twitter than he is when he fights; let’s just say that.”
Current Form and Achievements
Despite the mutual dismissals, both du Plessis and Muhammad are in the middle of impressive runs in their respective weight classes. Du Plessis has been a dominant force in the middleweight division, boasting a perfect 9-0 record in the UFC. His recent victory over Sean Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 marked his second consecutive title defense, further solidifying his position as the top dog at 185 pounds. On the other hand, Muhammad has been on an undefeated streak of 11 fights since 2019, culminating in a one-sided decision win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in July, where he claimed the welterweight belt. Both fighters are currently ranked highly in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings, with du Plessis at No. 6 and Muhammad at No. 7.
A Potential Matchup?
A fight between du Plessis and Muhammad would undoubtedly generate significant buzz in the MMA community. However, du Plessis is quick to point out that such a matchup would be a mismatch on paper. “No, that would be unfair,” he said. “If I fight Belal Muhammad, it would be unfair. One hundred percent, have you seen the size of the man? What is he going to do? Is he going to get somebody to help him? Is he going to sit on somebody’s neck? How is it going to work? He’s the smallest—I couldn’t believe that he’s at 170 when I saw him. I couldn’t believe that he fights at 170.” Du Plessis’ comments underscore the significant physical difference between the two fighters, which would likely play a crucial role in any potential matchup.
Predicting the Outcome
When asked to predict how a fight with Muhammad might go, du Plessis was succinct and confident. “I step on his head and it’s over,” du Plessis said. “That’s how that fight goes.” This statement, while clearly hyperbolic, reflects du Plessis’ belief in his physical and technical superiority over Muhammad. It also serves to downplay Muhammad’s recent achievements and draw attention to the size discrepancy that could tip the scales in du Plessis’ favor.
Social Media Reactions and Upcoming Fights
Du Plessis’ comments quickly made their way around social media, leading Muhammad to respond with his own quip, “He can barely walk without tripping over his own feet. He ain’t touching me.” This back-and-forth highlights the competitive nature of MMA and the role that social media plays in hyping up fights and engaging fans. While the idea of a matchup between the two champions remains a topic of discussion among fans, both fighters have their next title defenses lined up. Du Plessis is expected to face Khamzat Chimaev, one of the most formidable opponents in the middleweight division, while Muhammad is awaiting a re-booked bout with challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov, which was postponed earlier. The upcoming fights promise to be thrilling, and fans will have to wait to see how these champions continue to defend their belts and respond to each other’s provocations.
