Belal Muhammad is planning to make his entrance to the octagon with the Palestinian flag draped around him for his first welterweight title defense at UFC 315, scheduled for May 10 in Montreal.
Although he has carried the flag in prior fights, there was some uncertainty about whether he would be permitted to do so this time, especially after the flag was briefly removed from his UFC fighter profile online. The flag was subsequently reinstated, and Muhammad clarified that its temporary absence was simply an error that the UFC promptly corrected.
Confirming his intention to MMA Fighting regarding carrying the Palestinian flag, Muhammad stated, “Yeah, 100 percent. We’ve talked about it and they’ve accepted it. Nothing is going to stop me from doing it.”
Muhammad, whose parents are of Palestinian descent, has been an outspoken voice concerning the ongoing conflict in the region since it began. He has actively participated in fundraising efforts and publicly demonstrated his support for Palestine through interviews and social media.
He intends to continue these efforts in the days leading up to his bout against Jack Della Maddalena.
Expressing his feelings, Muhammad said, “It’s hard, especially right now. It’s been over two years now where they’re dying, they’re starving, the people over there are in so much pain. The world’s just watching it. The world’s just coming up with excuses for it. It’s wild.”
While defending his UFC title holds great importance to him, Muhammad asserts that he is consistently fighting for a larger cause. He specifically mentioned reports indicating that residents in the Gaza Strip have been without essential supplies like medicine, fuel, and food for the past 60 days.
Despite these grim circumstances, Muhammad previously shared that he received messages of encouragement and congratulations after he won his UFC title last July. This support has provided him with even greater motivation as he prepares for the title fight at UFC 315.
“For me, it just makes me want to work that much harder for them,” Muhammad explained. “It makes me go to the gym, run that extra mile, lift that extra weight. Because I can’t lose. There’s no way I’m going to let the people see me not get my hand raised. When they see me fight that day, they’re going to see that flag get raised. When they see me win that day, they’re going to see that flag get raised. They’re going to see me get on the mic and talk about them. They’re going to see me get on the mic and be a voice for them.
“The only way I can be their voice is by continuing to win. I just have to keep continuing to work, keep continuing to push it and it’s all in god’s hands. God has a plan for everything and I’m hoping this finally comes to an end soon.”
Even as he focuses on his upcoming fight, Muhammad says the people of Palestine are always in his thoughts. This is why he has dedicated as much energy to raising awareness about the situation there as he has to building anticipation for his return on May 10.
This enduring connection is a primary reason Muhammad is so resolute about carrying the flag to the octagon – so he can continue to represent the Palestinian people on the sport`s largest stage.
Muhammad reflected on the impact of carrying the flag: “Like I said, I’ve just been getting so many messages, people just wanting to know what’s happening there because they see me carrying that flag and what it means and what it means to me. If you’re human, you want to know what’s going on there. If you’re human and you see it and you ignore it, you’re not really human. You don’t have a soul. If you can see kids starving, if you see kids dying, if you see all their suffering and you just turn your head away, look at yourself in the mirror and really ask yourself: What would you do if those people were from a different country? What would I do if those people weren’t Arab? What would I do if those people weren’t this color?
“Just so many people out here that are afraid to speak up, afraid to say something, afraid to do anything because they’re afraid of the consequences. There shouldn’t be consequences for being human.”
