Belal Muhammad harbors aspirations of one day surpassing Georges St-Pierre`s legacy as the greatest welterweight fighter in UFC history.
This Saturday at UFC 315, Belal Muhammad faces Jack Della Maddalena in the main event, aiming for his first successful defense of the welterweight championship.
In the lead-up to their contest, Muhammad has consistently declared his intention to demonstrate his striking prowess against Della Maddalena, making a confident forecast.
Curiously, a specific technique prohibited for both competitors is foot stomps, due to a ban imposed by the Quebec Athletic Commission.
Muhammad Encounters GSP Ahead of UFC 315 Title Defense
`Remember The Name` is currently on an impressive 11-fight undefeated streak, including six consecutive wins, steadily positioning himself among the elite welterweights.
Georges St-Pierre, widely acknowledged as the sport`s greatest welterweight, is present at UFC 315. He will be in the corner for featherweight hopeful Aiemann Zahabi`s bout against Jose Aldo.
Ahead of the highly anticipated 170lb clash, UFC embedded cameras captured Muhammad and GSP sharing a moment.
“Best of luck, man,” St-Pierre told Muhammad, playfully pretending to throw a body shot at the reigning champion.
“You’re the GOAT [Greatest Of All Time], I’m in your house, I want to show my respect and put on a performance for you,” Muhammad responded.
“He was clearly one of my favorite fighters when I was growing up. A guy I always watched, I loved his fights, and he’s also one of the nicest people you could meet, so it would be great if I ever got the chance to train and work with him,” Muhammad added.
“I think it’s going to be a fantastic event, and I believe some of the local fighters will perform well and make a name for themselves with strong performances,” St-Pierre commented.
Della Maddalena Compares Muhammad to St-Pierre
Despite his status as one of the sport`s all-time greats, St-Pierre faced considerable criticism late in his career for his perceived defensive or `passive` fighting style.
Leading up to their bout, Della Maddalena likened the champion’s fighting approach to St-Pierre`s `boring fight style,` clearly not intending it as praise.
Since retiring from MMA, St-Pierre has continued training, constantly looking for ways to improve. He recently stated he is `100%` open to returning for a jiu-jitsu competition.
Rupert Hartwell