UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad currently trains under the tutelage of MMA coach Mike Valle. Apart from Muhammad, Valle works with other current and former UFC champions like Julianna Pena and Yair Rodriguez.
At the end of 2024, MMA Junkie declared Valle the 'Coach of the Year'. The outlet uploaded a post to their Instagram account to announce the result.
The post caught the attention of Muhammad, who left a three-word response in the comments section:
"Real ones know."
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Check out a screenshot of Belal Muhammad's comment below:
'Remember the Name' competed once in 2024. He went up against Leon Edwards for the welterweight throne at UFC 304. The event took place on July 27 at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
Muhammad used his grapping prowess to outclass Edwards for the majority of the 25-minute fight and scored a unanimous decision victory.
Pena, another fighter coached by Valle, also had one fight in 2024. She locked horns against Raquel Pennington for the bantamweight belt in October at UFC 307.
The bout turned out to be a razor-close affair that ended with a split-decision win for 'The Venezuelan Vixen'.
What's next for Belal Muhammad in the UFC?
Belal Muhammad was scheduled for his first title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 in December. Unfortunately, the champion had to withdraw from the fight due to an injury.
Ian Garry stepped in as a replacement for Muhammad and fought Rakhmonov. The replacement fight was a highly competitive bout that ended with a unanimous decision victory for 'Nomad'.
Although no official announcement has been made by the UFC yet, fans expect the promotion to reschedule the showdown between 'Remember the Name' and Rakhmonov.