Belal Muhammad Suffers Third Consecutive Defeat

Belal Muhammad lost to Gabriel Bonfim at UFC Vegas 118 on June 6, suffering a third consecutive defeat. The ex-UFC welterweight champion is now 0-2 since losing his title to Jack Della Maddalena.

Muhammad was outclassed by Maddalena at UFC 315, then outstruck by Ian Machado Garry in November 2025, before suffering a third straight defeat against Bonfim.

The champion before Muhammad, Leon Edwards, is also riding a three-fight losing streak. Edwards lost the belt to Muhammad before suffering a submission defeat to Sean Brady and a knockout loss to Carlos Prates.

If Muhammad doesn’t find a victory soon, he could be thrown to the wolves as new and exciting welterweight prospects look to seize his high-ranking position in the division. Former UFC welterweight champions since Robbie Lawler are 1-14 in UFC fights after losing their belts.

Islam Makhachev is next in line to defend the welterweight crown. The Dagestan native has been out of action for over six months since claiming the throne in November last year. Carlos Prates is the front-runner to challenge Makhachev, with his demolition job over Maddalena in Perth earlier this year.

Muhammad's losing streak is similar to Kamaru Usman's, who lost back-to-back fights to Edwards before dropping a close decision to Khamzat Chimaev. Usman broke his losing streak with a decision victory over Joaquin Buckley in 2025.

The dynamic welterweight division is churning out new names every week. Michael Morales is another name flying under the radar, with a sparkling 19-0 record and back-to-back knockout victories over Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady.

Belal Muhammad's next fight is crucial to his career, as he looks to bounce back from his recent losses and regain his position as a top contender in the division. With his skills and experience, Muhammad is still a force to be reckoned with in the UFC, but he needs to find a win soon to stay relevant.