Belal Muhammad reveals he is an enormous 19 lbs overweight just 11 days before UFC 288 fight against Gilbert Burns

UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad recently claimed that he is currently 19 lbs heavier than he usually is at this point during fight camp but is relaxed about making weight successfully ahead of his short-notice bout against Gilbert Burns.

Muhammad is set to face Burns in a welterweight bout at UFC 288 on May 6 in New Jersey. The fight was booked on two weeks' notice after the promotion lost its lightweight co-main event between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush due to the Brazilian picking up an injury. The winner of this welterweight matchup is expected to get a title shot next.

While 'Remember The Name' has undergone drastic weight cuts in the past, he must cut around 19 lbs before May 6, less than a fortnight away. In an interview with ESPN MMA, the 34-year-old stated that while he usually weighs 177 lbs at this point during training camp, he is currently at 190 lbs. He said:

"I've got a couple of experiences [with drastic weight cuts]. To me, it's not about the weight. It's about getting to fight night and throwing down."

Belal Muhammad and his nutritionist, Ian Larios, also joked earlier about him needing to cut 44 lbs before clarifying the joke.

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Belal Muhammad vs. Gilbert Burns: 'Durinho' on rejecting 'Remember The Name's middleweight fight request

Gilbert Burns doesn't move weight classes for anybody. The Brazilian recently opened up about declining Belal Muhammad's demand to make their fight a middleweight contest due to the 34-year-old observing Ramadan.

Burns is set to face Muhammad in a title eliminator at UFC 288, replacing the re-scheduled co-main event between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. While they both initially wanted to fight Colby Covington, the two agreed to fight each other after the promotion clarified that Covington is set to face welterweight champion Leon Edwards next.

Belal Muhammad vs. Gilbert Burns is undoubtedly an exciting contest, but it wasn't easy getting it booked.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Burns revealed that a major hurdle to overcome was that Belal Muhammad wanted the bout to be at middleweight. Explaining why he rejected that demand, Burns said:

""He asked for 185 [pounds]. I changed a lot of habits, I used to go to 200-205 after camp, now I'm staying 187-188 walking around, and this guy now wants to go to middleweight... I get it, you're Muslim, you're doing Ramadan but... I don't care, I'm not Muslim. You do whatever you want... I respect, it's not that I'm talking sh*t, you do whatever you have to do but don't ask for excuse."

Watch the full interview below: