Belal Muhammad Can Learn From GSP

Belal Muhammad has spoken fondly of Georges St-Pierre, as he will look to use his career as a way to bounce back from his Jack Della Maddalena loss. 

Belal lost his UFC Welterweight Title in the first defense of his belt, having secured it from Leon Edwards. He suffered a unanimous decision defeat, which was compounded by the injuries he suffered. Dana White revealed that he has a split lip, a broken nose, and an orbital bone, which will keep him out for some time. Belal has to decide where his future lies, as the defeat disrupted his plans of becoming a two-weight world champion amid links over the Dricus Du Plessis fight.

Islam Makhachev is likely to move up and face Jack next. However, Belal can use GSP as inspiration. GSP is considered one of the best UFC fighters ever. GSP won titles at welterweight and middleweight, later getting inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, GSP did not have it all his way. GSP suffered a shock loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 50 in 2004, losing via a first-round armbar submission.

Belal On GSP

The loss meant he missed out on the UFC Welterweight Title. GSP also suffered one of the biggest upsets in the history of the UFC, getting knocked out by Matt Serra in the first round at UFC 69 in 2007. But he put those two defeats behind him to never lose again, winning his last 13 fights before he retired. Belal can learn a lot from what GSP did, given he has suffered his first UFC loss since 2019.

“Before I was in the UFC, I drove all the way down to Montreal, Canada to train at Tristar, hoping GSP would be there. I got to train under Firas Zahabi, pick his mind, pick his brain a little bit. So, that was always epic. That’s [GSP] the guy that’s considered the GOAT of your weight class, somebody you always looked up to, you watched, tried to mimic,” Belal said