Belal Muhammad reveals his "secret" to defying the welterweight age curve at 36: "There isn't that burned out effect"

While most fighters seem to hit a downward slope in their careers after 35, Belal Muhammad is breaking that mold as he gears up for his first UFC welterweight title defense. At 36, he’s on an 11-fight unbeaten run and captured the UFC welterweight title with a masterclass performance against Leon Edwards in July 2024.

Scheduled to take on Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, Muhammad continues to outwork younger contenders. What separates him from others is that Muhammad didn’t grow up grinding in the gym like many others.

He started fighting at 23, far later than most of his peers. That delay ensured he didn’t accumulate damage early, didn’t suffer burnout, and never needed time off. Muhammad also keeps it simple outside the cage with a strict policy on no drinking, no smoking, and no crash diets.

During a recent appearance on The Brian Campbell Experience podcast, Muhammad revealed how he's remarkably managed to keep father time at bay so far in his career, saying:

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"I think it’s the work ethic. I put in so many hours. I put a lot of good work, smart work in. Also, I started late. I started at 23, so there isn’t that burned out effect you get with a lot of these guys who started since they were kids, training, wrestling, doing all this stuff. I had two years of high school wrestling. I started learning how to fight at 23 years old, so it hasn’t been that long, and I haven’t been doing it that long."

He added:

"I don’t drink, I don’t smoke. I keep my body clean, and I try to stay light and healthy all year round because I’m training all year round. I think that’s what helps me and keeps me strong and keeps me feeling young."

Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below (1:30):

Muhammad's upcoming opponent, Della Maddalena, is slick and dangerous on the feet, but Muhammad believes he has the better all-around game. He believes Della Maddalena's only path to victory is outboxing him.

Per Muhammad, if that gets shut down, the inexperience will show, and the Australian will start "drowning" and feeling like there’s nothing else he can do.

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar