Former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad isn’t interested in trading trash talk ahead of his looming showdown with Ian Machado Garry but he’s delivering a clear warning.
With the highly anticipated clash just days away, Muhammad has pointed to one of the most crushing recent beatdowns in the sport.
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“I’m going to beat him up worse than Islam did Della Maddelena,” he told Fox Sports Australia.
“There were a lot of welterweight performances that were great last week. People were talking about them this week, but next week they will be talking about me.”
“At the end of the month they’ll be talking about me.”
The comparison is a pointed one. Islam Makhachev didn’t just defeat Jack Della Maddalena – he dismantled the Australian by the end of their fight. Muhammad is promising to deliver that same level of punishment to Garry in the co-main event at UFC Qatar.
Belal Muhammad has delivered a chilling warning to Ian Garry ahead of their clashSource: Getty Images
“I plan on teaching him a lesson,” he said.
“I’m going to break him. He’s going to be mentally broke, physically broke and spiritually broke by the end of it.”
Garry, a rangy and technical kickboxer, has promised to knock “The Bully” out in the first round – despite his last five victories all coming via decision. It’s the kind of confidence that rubs some people the wrong way, and Muhammad is absolutely one of them.
Muhammad, meanwhile, enters the bout following a title loss and looks like a man fighting with purpose. If someone gets the finish, he’s convinced it will be him.
“He’s got a very specific style,” explained Muhammad.
“I have a free style. You don’t know if I’m going to wrestle. You don’t know if I’m going to strike. You don’t know if I’m going to grapple.
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“He won’t have a backup plan on Saturday night. He’s going to have no clue what to do and I plan on teaching him a lesson.”
Muhammad goes into the fight as a sizable underdog, but his confidence has not wavered for a moment. For a fighter who has spent much of his career earning respect rather than being handed it, the outsider status is familiar territory.
“I think he’s [Garry] a dork that has somebody writing his scripts for him – and he’s not authentic. He probably doesn’t know who he really is, right? Is he Irish? Is he Brazilian?
“Saturday night he’s going to be unconscious, that’s all that matters.”
If he sounds fired up, it’s because he is. For Muhammad, this fight isn’t just about shutting Garry up – it’s about kicking the title door wide open again. He believes a statement win on Sunday should lock in his next shot at the belt.
“If I beat Ian Garry, it’s going to be me [getting the title shot],” he said.
“The focus is getting on getting back to the top of the mountain. I’m not in this game to be second best. I’m here to be the best in the world.”
Rumours have been swirling that former champ Kamaru Usman could leapfrog the pack and land the next title shot – a move Muhammad flat-out rejects. After all, Usman has only won one fight in the last four years.
Belal Muhammad fighting in 2024Source: Getty Images
In Muhammad’s eyes, the sport should reward the fighter doing the work, not the one living off past achievements.
“He shouldn’t even be in the conversation,” he said.
“He’s 1-3 in his last four fights!
“I think he’s trying to hold on for dear life to his legacy and his reputation, but the guy sucks.”
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As the fight with Garry draws near, Muhammad’s final message to the Irishman is simple.
“The time for talking is over. The cage door is going to lock and I’m going to put my hands on you.”
The Irishman might have the louder voice, the flashier promo clips and the hype machine behind him, but Muhammad says none of that matters when the punches start to land.
