Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Belal Muhammad (red gloves) is introduced before his fight against Sean Brady (blue gloves) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-USA TODAY Sports

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‘He’s Good At Crying’ – Belal Muhammad Goes Off On Sean Strickland Amidst Palestine Comments

Belal Muhammad fires back at Sean Strickland, unleashing a heated rant over recent comments and rivalry tensions!

Trash talk in MMA has developed into its share of heated exchanges, from Conor McGregor’s surgical verbal warfare to Chael Sonnen’s pro-wrestling inspired promos. But sometimes fighters cross lines that make even the most hardened fight fans wince.

The latest war of words between Belal Muhammad and Sean Strickland has quickly escalated from typical pre-fight banter into deeply personal territory. This has brought up sensitive topics that go far beyond the usual “I’m going to beat you up” rhetoric that fills social media timelines.

Also Read: Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria Headed In Different Directions After Super Fight Rumors!

Back And Forth Between Sean Strickland’s And Belal Muhammad

Strickland recently told Muhammad to “go back to Palestine” in response to the welterweight champion’s challenge. Belal Muhammad recently had expressed interest in moving up to middleweight specifically to “smack around” Strickland. It wasn’t an outrageous challenge – fans have seen champions move up in weight before. Plus, Muhammad had backed up his talk by remaining unbeaten in his last ten fights.

And it seemed like the verbal sparring had already hit a low point. But things took an even darker turn when Muhammad fired back on social media, taking aim at one of the most sensitive aspects of Strickland’s life – his troubled relationship with his father.

The controversy erupted when Muhammad took to X to criticize Strickland’s upcoming title shot. He pointed out that while Khamzat Chimaev submitted Robert Whittaker and Nassourdine Imavov finished Israel Adesanya, Strickland was getting another shot at the title. But it was his follow-up comment about Strickland’s father that took this beef into uncomfortable territory.

Muhammad’s tweet not only questioned why Strickland was getting another title shot but also made a pointed reference to Strickland’s past trauma. The former middleweight champion has been open about in interviews.

“Crazy that Chimaev finished Whittaker and Imavov finished Izzy but the guy that teeped costa 150 times is getting the title shot ..but we all know he’s good at crying and using his mouth no diddy I just heard it from his dad.”

Crazy that chimaev finished Whittaker and imavov finished Izzy but the guy that teeped costa 150 times is getting the title shot ..but we all know he’s good at crying and using his mouth no diddy I just heard it from his dad
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 2, 2025

This response from the welterweight champion has definitely raised some eyebrows in the MMA community. However, Strickland’s unfiltered approach to everyone has some fans questioning whether it is a ‘tit for tat’ situation. And if you are willing to dish out, you should be able to take as well.

The Bigger Picture

This exchange highlights a growing issue in MMA trash talk. The line between promotion and personal attacks keeps getting blurrier. Conor McGregor is someone that thrived off this type of trash talk, getting into his opponents minds. But he was criticized for it as well. And since then, this type of trash talk has gained traction with fighters like Strickland, Colby Covington and Bryce Mitchell letting loose.

As for bringing family trauma into the mix raises questions about where fighters should draw the line. And whether the UFC should set any standards where they draw the line with this type of thing (they most definitely won’t).

(Image Credit: Craig Kidwell – Imagn Images)

Belal Muhammad

Sean Strickland

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!