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UFC star Belal Muhammad turns Wilmslow Road into a parade after stunning win in Manchester

He's not from round here but he was still welcomed like a hometown hero.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 29th July 2024

UFC star Belal Muhammad got a hero’s welcome as he drove down Wilmslow Road following his shock win over Birmingham-based fighter Leon Edwards this weekend.

In a blockbuster night of combat sports at the Co-op Live, the first time the promotion has returned to Manchester since 2016, the American mixed martial artist stunned those inside the arena and watching at home with a huge victory over the Jamaican-born Brit.

Clinching the welterweight title with a dominant display against Edwards, who saw his 12-fight unbeaten streak brought to an end, it was arguably the biggest story of the highly anticipated fight card.

Neither of the fighters are from the area but judging by the scenes along Wilmslow Road following the fight, you’d be forgiven for thinking Belal Muhammad was a Manc through and through.

As you can see from the images above, the 36-year-old and his entourage suddenly found themselves swarmed by hordes of fans and shutting down a significant stretch of Rusholme.

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You’ll find Curry Mile bustling pretty much every week in 0161 but it’s very few people that can effectively lock off a good chunk of one of Greater Manchester’s busiest roads like this – especially when Edwards was one of three big-name UK fighters being backed on the night.

The pair had faced each other previously back in 2021 but the bout ultimately had to be stopped after an accidental eye poke by the Brummy.

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Nevertheless, the question of who would come out on top was finally answered and in convincing fashion, with Muhammad throwing and out-clinching his opponent for the majority of the match before getting the win in the fifth round.

The result produced some memorable scenes out on the streets long after the referee’s decision, with the Chicago fighter of Palestinian heritage getting a rousing reception from south Manchester residents.

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Speaking after the fight, Muhammad told the media that he was tired coming into the fight, not that it ended up being a problem, going on to definitely declare: “I’m no Khabib [Nurmagomedov], I’m no GSP [Georges St-Pierre] I’m Belal Muhammad.”

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Elsewhere, in a similarly bold statement, homegrown hero Tom Aspinall signed off his first heavyweight title defence by calling out UFC legend Jon Jones.

He also celebrated exactly like we would in his position – with lots of cheat food.

You can watch the highlights of Belal Muhammad’s win over Leon Edwards down below:

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Featured Images — Belal Muhammad (via X)