Belal Muhammad is absolutely not holding back, making it clear he completely disagrees with any talk of a potential rematch between UFC champion Justin Gaethje and Ilia Topuria. Forget the whispers, Muhammad thinks the first fight was so definitive there is zero reason to run it back. Seriously, Gaethje put on a clinic.
The Verdict: "He Broke Him"
Muhammad laid out his case on his YouTube channel, and man, it’s tough to argue with. Justin Gaethje, with his 28-5 MMA record, inflicted a crazy amount of damage on Topuria (17-1 MMA) in their lightweight title fight at UFC Freedom 250. We all watched it, Topuria, who had been undefeated until then, was absolutely unable to continue at the end of Round 4. That’s not a close call, folks.
Even though Jon Anik mentioned there are internal discussions about Topuria being ready for a rematch, Muhammad isn’t having it. "What do I think about it? I don’t think Topuria deserves it," Muhammad stated. "It was a great fight, but he made you quit. He broke him and it was a clear decision. It wasn’t like a split decision, came down to the wire. He got him, he won, he finished him." He makes a point, right? When a fighter is truly finished like that, it’s hard to justify an immediate redo. Topuria might be talking about how this loss will make him better, but Muhammad says that’s exactly why he needs to prove it in another fight first.
What’s Next? A Grudge Match and a New Challenge
So, if not a rematch, what’s the move for Ilia Topuria? Muhammad has an idea: settle that long-standing grudge match with Paddy Pimblett. Pimblett (24-4 MMA) just came off a monster performance himself, securing a 52-second submission of Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 329 back in July. That’s a fight everyone would tune in for, isn’t it?
The only snag might be Pimblett’s health. Muhammad pointed out that Pimblett is "still recovering himself" after sustaining "two broken orbitals," among other undisclosed injuries. That’s a serious recovery. As for Justin Gaethje, Muhammad is pretty sure Gaethje won’t even consider the rematch, especially since Gaethje has already said he isn’t taking it. Muhammad figures if he were Gaethje, he’d be looking to "try to get the Max Holloway fight again." Now that would be a fight!
The landscape of the lightweight division just got a whole lot more interesting. With Topuria needing to rebuild, Pimblett recovering, and Gaethje potentially eyeing Holloway, the next few months are going to be wild. Will Topuria take on Pimblett? Will Gaethje get the Holloway fight? We’re all waiting to see what the UFC serves up next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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