Belal Muhammad’s first UFC welterweight title defense didn’t go as planned. On May 10 at UFC 315, the reigning champion chose to abandon the strengths that brought him to the top, opting instead to engage in a striking battle that ultimately led to a unanimous decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena.
Now, with Islam Makhachev expected to move up in weight to challenge the new 170-pound titleholder, questions loom over Muhammad’s next step in a suddenly complicated welterweight picture.
Belal Muhammad Didn't Fight Smart, Says Khabib's Coach
Following the fight, Muhammad acknowledged the setback on social media. But according to Javier Mendez, longtime coach of UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, the problem wasn't just execution—it was mindset.
In an interview with Submission Radio, Mendez expressed surprise at Muhammad’s approach in the octagon.
“I was surprised Belal didn’t use his wrestling more,” Mendez said. “None of us thought that Belal would be able to beat him just stand up so he wanted to do what none of us thought he could do, that’s what I’m thinking. I could be wrong but that’s what it appeared like to me.”
Muhammad had hinted during the pre-fight buildup that he intended to strike with Della Maddalena, but that decision proved costly as it played directly into the Australian’s strengths.
A Familiar Trap: Proving Critics Wrong
Mendez believes Muhammad fell into a trap that even Khabib Nurmagomedov struggled with at times—trying to silence critics by proving he could strike just as well as he could grapple.
“I used to be on Khabib all the time because Khabib, everyone always criticized him for not being good at striking. I’d always keep him on track but he’d always go off track trying to prove to people that he could stand,” Mendez explained.
Despite those tendencies, Khabib maintained an unbeaten record by leaning on his dominant grappling to control and finish fights. Over time, his striking did improve, but Mendez admits he never liked seeing Khabib stray too far from what made him great.
“Later he was able to stand really well, extremely well. But, I still didn’t like that because I wanted him to go back to what made him the best and that’s the mistake that a lot of fighters make. They want to prove their point.”
Muhammad’s Future Unclear After Risk Backfires
Muhammad, known for his relentless wrestling and tactical fight IQ, chose to go toe-to-toe on the feet with one of the division’s sharpest strikers. The gamble didn’t pay off. Instead of defending his belt with a dominant grappling display, he ended up handing the title to Della Maddalena, who capitalized on the style matchup.
While Makhachev prepares to test himself at welterweight, Muhammad is left to reassess his strategy and rebuild. As Mendez points out, the urge to prove doubters wrong is understandable—but at the elite level, it can be a costly distraction from what truly wins fights.