Belal Muhammad has been keeping an eye on the UFC welterweight division. One of the names that naturally pops up is Khamzat Chimaev after his big win at UFC 267.

Belal Muhammad was impressed by his debut at UFC 267. Khamzat Chimaev was able to get a quick submission over Li Jingliang.

“I was excited,” Muhammad said about Chimaev’s recent win while co-hosting The Fighter vs. The Writer. “It was one of those things where when he had that COVID stint and he was talking about retiring, I was like dang, cause being a competitor, being a fighter, you want to fight the top guys. You want to go against these guys that everybody thinks is the boogieman and how good they are. He showed it.

“I mean when I’m thinking about it, Li Jingliang’s not the greatest grappler, and I knew that if Khamzat was going to come out, he could pretty much dominate him in grappling. He did that. To go through four fights, I don’t care who you’re fighting against, and to only get hit once, that’s another level.”

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UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad isn't sure that Khamzat Chimaev should be fighting for the title next. He would like to put his takedown defense against someone that isn't used to people being able to stop him.

“I have fans now like, ‘All these guys are going to be afraid to fight him.’ I’m like, not really,” Muhammad said. “I get excited to fight a guy like that. I get excited to show that I belong in there with these top guys. I would want to fight a guy like that so I could be the one to stop that hype train. Because then all of a sudden, you’ll steal all his hype and it will show that you’re that guy now. You’re that guy nobody really thinks of me like, ‘Oh who is [Kamaru] Usman going to fight now?’

“They’re trying to give him the title shot next just cause he’s winning so dominantly. I understand it. I understand the business. I understand the momentum, but he needs to fight somebody with better grappling. Somebody that can defend takedowns and stand up with him. Me, I just defended 21 of Demian Maia’s 22 takedowns, and I’m a guy that can strike with you, too and has a gas tank for days.”

It is doubtful that Belal Muhammad will get the fight but it is a fun matchup. The UFC will be looking to book an exciting fight for the Russian's return before the end of the year.