UFC champion Belal Muhammad has explained why he doesn’t tend to train during Ramadan.
As we know, Belal Muhammad is one of the top fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship right now. He is the welterweight champion, he’s coming off the back of defeating Leon Edwards, and he’s gearing up for an absolutely huge title showdown with Shavkat Rakhmonov.
He’s also been in the headlines quite a lot recently. Whether it be for beef with other fighters or his own statements, Belal Muhammad knows how to get the attention of the masses – even if his biggest haters don’t want to admit that.
During a recent interview, Belal Muhammad spoke about the struggles of training for a fight in the midst of Ramadan.
Belal Muhammad on training during Ramadan
“March is Ramadan, so I have the whole month of Ramadan for myself and then training in April, then fighting in May would be perfect,” Muhammad told MMA Junkie Radio.
“In the past, I think it was more so when you’re chasing the belt, when you’re trying to get there, you’d do anything possible to get to that point,” Muhammad said. “So, I’m always going to say yes. For me now, it’s like if I have a choice, obviously I would rather not fight during Ramadan. It’s not easy. It’s hard.”
Belal Muhammad then gave his thoughts on Magomed Ankalaev training during Ramadan ahead of his title fight against Alex Pereira.
“It’s one of the biggest mental strengths that I gain during those months because you’re not sitting there focusing on your opponent,” Muhammad said. “You’re focusing on pleasing God, being closer to your religion, being closer to the people around you, your family, your loved ones.
“When you’re fasting, you get more headedness out of everything, and I think it helps a lot of people during that month. So I think for him, since this is early, I don’t know if he’ll gain the strength that I have during it, but I don’t think it’ll be hard for him.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie
