Belal Muhammad is making some big plans. He’s looking to train with Khabib Nurmagomedov and his team for a potential title fight against Leon Edwards.
Muhammad and Nurmagomedov’s crew have grown close. They’ve been tight since the former lightweight king’s active days. The same guy, Ali Abdelaziz, managed them both.
Now, Muhammad is planning a trip to Dagestan. He’s going to prepare for Edwards there.
“I’m planning for sure to go to Dagegan and train with those guys,” Muhammad said. He told MMAjunkie.com, “Those guys don’t let you take any days off or any easy rounds. That’s always perfect for me.”
The last time he trained with them, he got a dominant finish. He plans to do the same thing this time.
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Khabib’s late father, is credited with setting up a training system. It’s produced numerous world-class fighters from the region over the years. His son and current UFC lightweight champ, Islam Makhachev, is leading the way.
Training in Dagestan is different from training in the United States, Muhammad says. “A lot of their stuff that we do when we go live or we go hard is like we’re working. Over here, I do a lot of specific drilling with my team, my guys here,” he explained.
In Dagestan, he’s got to be ready to go. Every round feels like a new fight. It’s an uncomfortable feeling.
Muhammad’s rumored title bout against Edwards hasn’t been announced by the promotion yet. But it’s currently expected to take place at UFC 300.