Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at Titan FC veteran Belal Muhammad as he debuts in the UFC against Black House fighter Alan Jouban at UFC Fight Night 90 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Belal Muhammad Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Age: 27 Height: 5’10” Reach: N/A Weight Class: Welterweight Camp: Chicago Fight Team Career Record: 9-0 Key Wins: Steve Carl Key Losses: None Background The former Titan FC welterweight champion enters the UFC with a perfect 9-0 record including a win over veteran Steve Carl. A devout Muslim, Muhammad is participating in Ramadan simultaneously while preparing for his UFC debut. Strengths
- Fights at a solid pace with high volume
- Strikes well in combination
- Excellent job utilizing distance and fighting from his range
- Good footwork and movement
Weaknesses
- Lacks power striking
- Too often goes to the scorecards
- Different fight preparation training during Ramadan
Match-up against Alan Jouban Very good matchmaking pits Alan Jouban against Belal Muhammad at Fight Night 90. Jouban is the more exciting fighter with the more creative arsenal of strikes in his skill set. Muhammad fights at the more consistent pace and more importantly is much more difficult to hit. Jouban will look to make this a fire fight looking to force Muhammad to engage him and turn the fight into a brawl. That simply isn’t Muhammad’s style. Muhammad fights at a high volume, but is much more calculated in his approach. I expect that will frustrate Jouban as he’ll struggle to land in this fight despite forcing the action. This will leave Jouban open to being hit with counters and I fully expect Muhammad to be able to find those openings. While I don’t see a finish in this fight, Muhammad will be the more accurate fighter landing the cleaner strikes which should be enough for him to win on the scorecards in a competitive contest. UFC Ceiling Belal Muhammad is certainly a very capable fighter entering his UFC debut. He’s already fought some quality competition and most notably finished the durable Steve Carl in his last fight in Titan FC. Muhammad’s movement, striking accuracy, and volume will be difficult for opponents to match in the UFC. His lack of punching power is a major concern as he faces the better fighters in the UFC’s welterweight division, but there are enough positives in his skill set to see him have a lengthy and successful career in the UFC. Fight Film Check out Belal Muhammad in some of his most recent fights: Belal Muhammad vs. Steve Carl https://www.ufc.tv/video/belal-muhammad-vs-steve-carl-titan-fc-38 (Must have UFC Fight Pass Subscription) Belal Muhammad vs. Chris Curtis