Mixed martial artist Belal Muhammad created history by becoming the first Palestinian champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotion company.
Muhammad’s long-awaited belt came after a dominant display against opponent Leon Edwards, becoming the new welterweight division champion.
Born and raised in the United States to Palestinian parents, Muhammad has not lost a fight since 2019. This was Edward’s first defeat in nine years, making the Palestinian’s victory all the more impressive.
Teary-eyed and emotional, Muhammad, dedicated his win to his nation.
“This fight is for my family, my people, and for Palestine. This is for Palestine. They’re fighting the real fight. God willing I put a nice smile on their faces,” said the champion in his post-win interview.
Muhammad’s victory comes nearly 10 months after Israel’s war on Gaza began. Since the onslaught of the war, several thousands of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes and military operations.
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, while in the works, is far from concluding. Meanwhile, several Western and Arab countries have yet to sanction Israel, despite the International Court of Justice confirming Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories as illegal and the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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