Initially, it was all about “Remember the Name.” Now, it’s all about “Remember the Date.”
Chicago’s UFC welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad, has been recognized by his hometown with a special day in his honor. Mayor Brandon Johnson declared September 20 as Belal Muhammad Day during a ceremony at Harold Washington Library Center on Friday.
“Proud to congratulate UFC Champion @bullyb170! First Palestinian-American (and @chipubschools grad) from the South Side of Chicago to win the title,” Johnson shared on Instagram Stories.
“REMEMBER THE DATE Honored and blessed Chicago we got our own day … love my city,” Muhammad wrote on Instagram.
The tribute to Muhammad comes after 55 days of him securing the UFC welterweight title by defeating Leon Edwards in the UFC 304 main event.
This fight was a rematch from their initial encounter in March 2021, which ended in a no contest due to an eye poke that prevented Muhammad from continuing in the second round. After winning five more fights against top competition, Muhammad finally earned his title shot and capitalized on it by winning with a dominant unanimous decision.
While Muhammad’s first title defense has not been scheduled yet, he has been celebrating the achievement by involving his community in the moment.
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