After nearly seven months away from competition, Belal Muhammad returns to the Octagon on Saturday night with more than just a victory on his mind. The former UFC welterweight champion faces surging contender Gabriel Bonfim in the main event of UFC Vegas 118 looking to begin his climb back toward title contention while proving that, despite the time away, he’s still one of the division’s elite fighters.
“Good fighter, got a good streak going right now. Young, hungry guy that’s looking to take my spot,” Muhammad told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“He just picked the wrong guy to do it with.”
Muhammad (24-5) says his competitive fire hasn’t faded one bit despite time away from the cage and major changes in his personal life. The former champion remains motivated to work his way back into title contention and prove he still belongs among the elite at 170 pounds.
“Just showing the world that I’m still the best guy. To remind people who I am, remind myself, who I am. I think I’m the best person, best fighter in the world, but I just got to go out there get my hand raised and prove it,” he said.
After being sidelined since November, Muhammad has spent his time away from competition focused on more than just fighting. Between welcoming his first child into the world and continuing to help his teammates prepare for their own fights, Muhammad says the break has given him a new perspective both inside and outside the cage.
“It’s been great. I had my first kid, my daughter, so that’s been amazing. Teammates, helping them, being in the gym, working out. Just doing what I love,” he said.
“(Having a kid) Gives your life purpose. For me fighting was everything. It was eat, sleep, breathe fighting. That was like my happy place to be at the gym. Now my happy place is to be at home with her, seeing her, even when I go home tired, broken. I just know what I’m fighting for now.”
While becoming a father has given Muhammad a new perspective outside the cage, his goals inside it remain exactly the same. The former champion says he’s never been interested in simply collecting paychecks or putting on fights, his focus has always been on proving he’s the best welterweight in the world and reclaiming UFC gold.
“Gold is always the goal for me. If you’re not here to be the best fighter in the world, what are we doing this for? I don’t fight just to fight,” said Muhammad.
“I don’t fight as a hobby. I fight for my family, I fight to prove myself, and to prove you’re the best in the world, you need the belt.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Belal Muhammad above. He faces Gabriel Bonfim in the main event of UFC Vegas 118 on Saturday night.
