Belal Muhammad made no excuses for his UFC Fight Night 265 loss to Ian Machado Garry and appears determined to come back better than ever.
After starting 2025 as UFC welterweight champion, Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) now suddenly finds himself on the first losing skid of his career. He dropped the belt to Jack Della Maddalena in May, then in his rebound fight, suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Ian Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) on Saturday in Doha, Qatar.
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Never before has Muhammad lost consecutive fights in MMA. Before this, he was on a 12-fight unbeaten streak in the welterweight division. The sport moves quickly, however, and instead of fixating on the situation, Muhammad’s first reaction addressed gratitude for his spot and the desire to move forward with growth (via Instagram):
After telling MMA Junkie prior to UFC Fight Night 265 that he intended to “outbox” Machado Garry inside the octagon, Muhammad was outlanded 72 to 56 in significant strikes. He attempted to mix in some wrestling, but Machado Garry’s defense was strong and he defended all seven takedown attempts that came his way.
At 37, Muhammad’s defeat is likely to drop him outside the top three, or potentially top five, of a rapidly evolving 170-pound weight class currently led by Islam Makhachev.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Qatar: Belal Muhammad issues statement after bloody loss
