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Belal Muhammad said he doesn’t care what you think anymore. He knows he’s good, even if you don’t. Well, I mean, yeah, he is the UFC welterweight champion, so there is some evidence to suggest he’s pretty good. Somehow, though, it still feels like there are constantly a lot of doubts. You doubt he’ll win his next fight. You doubt it’ll be exciting, if he does. You doubt he’ll sell many PPVs, you doubt he’ll get in the UFC’s good graces, you doubt he’ll hang onto that belt for long … and on and on and on …

So far, for the most part, he’s proved you wrong. Still, that makes this weekend’s title defense at UFC 315 against Jack Della Maddalena all the more important. It’s the first time in a long while that Belal isn’t the underdog. So … gotta win this one, right?

Plus, what now for Bo Nickal? That’s up to him.

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