Belal Muhammad explains why he will defeat Gilbert Burns at UFC 288
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad explained why he will defeat Gilbert Burns in their upcoming co-main event bout at UFC 288.
Muhammad wanted a title shot against UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards, but the UFC is giving the next welterweight title shot to Colby Covington. With Burns in the same boat, the fight pitting him against Muhammad just made all sorts of sense, especially when UFC 288 lost its original co-main event of Beneil Dariush against Charles Oliveira. Now, UFC 288 has another big fight with title implications, and that’s the way Muhammad wants it.
Speaking to “The Schaub Show,” Muhammad was asked what he thinks about the Burns fight, and he broke down why and how he will get his hand raised.
“I think that matchup, stylistic-wise, like I fought the best grappler in the division with Demian Maia, I fought the best striker in the division with ‘Wonderboy,’ I fought the guy who knocked me out and his training partner in Luque, and I beat Luque and I fought the new up-and-coming hot star, strongest guy in the division in Sean Brady. I fought every single style, and I don’t think Gilbert’s fought anybody like me,” Muhammad said (via MMAjunkie.com).
“I don’t think Gilbert’s fought anybody that’s gonna push it like me, move like me, adjust like me, make in-fight adjustments like (me). You see me fight backward, you see me fight forward, you see me fight laterally. He doesn’t know what I’m gonna bring to the table. I know what he’s gonna bring to the table, because I’ve been watching him, and he doesn’t really change his game plan or his style up. And this being a short-notice fight, there’s not a lot of strategy that comes in it from his side. It’s like, ‘Well, I’m gonna do this because I’m good at it,’ but I’m better at what you’re good at.”
Who do you think wins the co-main event at UFC 288 between Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns?
