Belal Muhammad shares thoughts on “terrible” UFC 296 fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington

Belal Muhammad wasn’t impressed with Leon Edwards or Colby Covington’s performance at UFC 296.

Edwards was looking to defend his welterweight title for the second time as he took on Covington in a highly-anticipated fight. The lead-up to the fight was full of trash talk as both vowed to finish the other, in what was the final main event of 2023. However, the fight ended up being lackluster as there wasn’t much action and it was Leon Edwards who won a one-sided decision.

Following UFC 296, Belal Muhammad spoke to ESPN and shared his thoughts on the fight which he thought was terrible.

“Honestly, the fight was terrible, it was very lackluster, coming from both sides. Colby was talking a big game and came out and looked like trash,” Muhammad said. “For Leon to say I’m going to make Colby pay for what he said, you didn’t look good either, you didn’t look great, it was terrible.

“Especially for a champion to have less than 100 strikes in a five-round fight, that’s a joke, very lackluster performance, and I think Dana was disappointed, UFC was disappointed for the last card of the year, the last main event of the year for it to be that terrible. Even Donald Trump was disappointed, he was ready to walk out of the arena before the fight was even over,” Muhammad continued.

With Belal Muhammad thinking the fight was boring, he vows to make his bout against Leon Edwards more exciting. He also knows he is next in line for a title shot regardless of what Edwards and his coach have said.

“I am next, when I beat Gilbert Burns, Dana White, I had that note saying 100 percent he’s next. So, I’m going to hold that and keep playing it on in my head and not even think about it,” Muhammad added.

Of course, Edwards said after UFC 296 he didn’t think Muhammad deserved the next title shot. Edwards’ coach, meanwhile, said he preferred if Gilbert Burns was next, but Muhammad says that won’t be the case.

Belal Muhammad (23-3 and one no Contest) is coming off the decision win over Gilbert Burns back in May. He’s currently on a 10-fight unbeaten streak as he’s 9-0 with one NC during that stretch. The NC is against Edwards due to an accidental eye poke in the second round of their main event scrap.