UFC 304 ended up being the biggest moment in the career of Belal Muhammad.
But it almost was for a completely different reason.
Muhammad bested Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title in front of 17,000-plus fans in Manchester, England last month.
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During a recent appearance on The Fighter and The Kid, he revealed some different thoughts heading into the bout.
“It was to the point in my head. I was looking at it like if I lost, there’s a chance that I’m just hanging’em up,” Muhammad said (thanks to MMA Mania for the quotes). “I’m not gonna get another shot at it.
“It was so hard to get there. I hate asking people for anything. (I was) so desperate to do whatever it takes to get this shot.”
Muhammad took the most of his opportunity. He avenged a prior 2021 no-contest vs. Edwards and positioned himself atop the mountain.
Belal Muhammad Almost Walked Away From UFC
It has been quite the ride for Muhammad, who celebrated a birthday earlier in July. He has not lost since 2019, going 10-0 with the no-contest during that stretch.
Along with besting Edwards, he has also topped the likes of Demian Maia, Gilbert Burns and Stephen Thompson.
Overall, the 36-year-old from Chicago is 24-3 with 18 decision wins to his credit.
With the win over Edwards, he became the first UFC champion of Palestine descent.
