Belal Muhammad releases first statement after third straight loss at UFC Vegas 118

Belal Muhammad, the former UFC welterweight champion, suffered his third consecutive octagon loss on Saturday night, dropping a lopsided decision to Gabriel Bonfim in the main event of UFC Vegas 118 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The loss continues a stark reversal of fortune for Muhammad, who captured the title with a victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in July 2024 but has since fallen to Bonfim, Jack Della Maddalena (at UFC 315 in May 2025), and Ian Machado Garry (at UFC Qatar in November).

In his first public response to the defeat, Muhammad took to Instagram to keep the tone positive and shift focus to his teammate Brendan Allen, who secured a notable win over Edmen Shahbazyan in the card's co-main event. "Alhamdillah for everything, [too] blessed to be stressed," Muhammad wrote, referencing a common Islamic phrase of gratitude. "You don't find out who you are when everything goes your way. You find out when it doesn't. Grateful for the journey, grateful for the lessons. I'll be back."

Muhammad also offered congratulations to Allen, writing: "Thank you to all my supporters my team and family, congrats my brother [Brendan Allen] on his big win his hard work paying off on his way to the title." The measured response demonstrates composure in the face of a difficult stretch, emphasizing perspective and resilience rather than deflection or complaint—a signal that Muhammad intends to regroup and return to contention in what remains a highly competitive welterweight division.