While Dircus du Plessis declared that he was ready and willing for the champion-vs-champion superfights since he won the UFC middleweight title in early 2024, he has not obviously taken welterweight champion Belal Muhammad seriously-and he has not held back about it.
Belal Muhammad State His Case
Recently on Barstool Chicago, Muhammad suggested his moving up to the middleweight division, claiming it to be "the easiest weight class". His reason for such an undertaking? To allow his friend and training partner, the UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, an opportunity to go for a double chance at welterweight. Muhammad added that there would be "no problem" in wiping out the 185s, other than Khamzat Chimaev. He then mocked du Plessis and former middleweight champion Sean Strickland, saying that their title fight at UFC 312 showed they "suck."
Dricus du Plessis Replies
In du Plessis's follow-up to Muhammad's comments on The Ariel Helwani Show, he felt brave enough to share his thoughts about the welterweight champion's statements. Amused by the welterweight champion's bravado, the champion questioned the legitimacy of Muhammad's credentials and fighting style.
"Belal Muhammad, I can't even remember the way he fights. Has he ever finished anyone?" du Plessis mocked, again parodying Muhammad's "Remember the Name" nickname.
He also went on to belittle the possibility of Muhammad ever moving up to middleweight because of logistics. "I like how he acted like he had a choice to ever go up to 185. The UFC will never let him. If he wanted to, he would 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. So what makes him think that? He hasn't even defended his belt once. He's definitely better on Twitter than he is in fights, I have to say that."
Two Champions Clash
Both du Plessis and Muhammad have dominated their respective divisions. Today, du Plessis defended his middleweight title for the second time, in a lopsided unanimous decision against Sean Strickland at UFC 312. Meanwhile, Muhammad took the welterweight title by handing an absolute shellacking to Leon Edwards in July 2024. It was to be the first title defense for Muhammad against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, but a bone infection forced him to withdraw.
Even after their impressive streaks-du Plessis is still 9-0 under the UFC banner, and Muhammad is yet to be beaten in 11 consecutive outings-du Plessis has a relatively low opinion of Muhammad's capabilities.
"That would be unfair. If I fight Belal Muhammad, it would be unfair," he chuckled. "100%, 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 a 170 [pound fighter] when I saw him, I couldn't believe that he fights at 170. I step on his head and it's over-that way that fight goes."
Muhammad’s Counterattack on Social Media
He retaliated in social media style, refusing to back down from a fight.
Muhammad just commented: "He can barely walk without tripping over his own feet. He ain't touching me."
He also appended an excerpt of du Plessis's botched attempt at Brad Tavares with an awkward takedown during the 2022 fight, adding, "This guy's gonna beat me," with a crying-laughing emoji.
Next up for equals?
Muhammad will be expected to re-book Shavkat Rakhmonov for the title fight, while du Plessis is still on top of the middleweight division. Whether the fight between these two champions will ever happen remains a question, but the trash-talking clearly won't end just yet.