Belal Muhammad Considered Retiring Before UFC 304
After beating Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 304, Belal Muhammad said he had considered retiring if he lost. In an interview published in August 2024, he explained that reaching another title opportunity had taken so long that he wondered whether a defeat would be the end of his career. He described it as a possibility he had weighed in the moment, not a formal retirement plan.
A long wait for the title fight
Muhammad’s title bout with Edwards came nearly three and a half years after their first meeting ended in a no contest when an accidental eye poke prevented Muhammad from continuing. Between those fights, he built a long unbeaten run and repeatedly campaigned for another chance. UFC 304, held in Manchester on July 27, 2024, finally gave him that opportunity.
Muhammad won by unanimous decision after five rounds, taking the championship from Edwards. Speaking afterward on the podcast The Fighter and the Kid, he said that, had he lost, part of him thought he might walk away because he did not expect another title shot. The remark captured the pressure he felt around a career-defining contest, rather than a decision he had already made.
What the comment says about the stakes
For elite contenders, years of work can lead to a small number of chances at a championship. Muhammad’s comments showed how he viewed UFC 304: as a rare opening to reach the sport’s highest level, with a loss carrying consequences beyond the result on the scorecards. His victory made the hypothetical unnecessary and established him as the new champion.
His story also reflects the persistence required in mixed martial arts. Muhammad endured the no contest, remained active through the welterweight rankings and eventually returned to face Edwards. Follow more UFC news and profiles of its fighters.
Sources
MMA Fighting: Muhammad discusses the possibility of retirement · UFC: UFC 304 results and title change
