Belal Muhammad stole the show at the otherwise boring UFC 304 pre-fight press conference. Gearing up for a title shot against 170-pound king Leon Edwards at the champ’s home turf of England on Saturday, he faced off with ‘Rocky’ at the pre-fight press conference. Edwards and Muhammad charged toward each other for their face-off and had to be restrained by Dana White. The champion tried to make ‘Bully B’ flinch by mock charging at him again, to which the Chicago native remained unmoved and even smiled at ‘Rocky’.

On the UFC 304 ‘Morning Weigh-In Show’, Muhammad compared his lack of reaction to Kobe Bryant‘s famous lack of reaction to being pump-faked by Matt Barnes from the foul line. The ethnic Palestinian even proclaimed his viral press conference moment as clear evidence for his own ‘Mamba Mentality’.

“When I was in his face, I could just tell he wasn’t comfortable there. He could just tell that I’m comfortable there. He tried to get me to flinch, I didn’t move a muscle. That was mamba mentality. I know you saw that Kobe Bryant moment. Bro we’re from Chicago, you think we flinch off of a guy from Manchester? We ain’t going off that,” claimed Belal Muhammad.

In addition, Muhammad, from the crime-ridden city of Chicago, also felt it would be slight on ‘The Windy City’ if he were to be scared by a guy from Birmingham (Muhammad mistakenly claimed ‘Rocky’ was from Manchester). Coming into UFC 304, Muhammad is confident of victory and thinks Edwards isn’t, which can only work to his advantage. However, even if he manages to become champion, it would put him in an awkward position with a dear friend.

Belal Muhammad throws cold water on Makhachev’s double-champ aspirations

Belal Muhammad has completely ruled out a welterweight title fight with Islam Makhachev if he defeats Edwards to become the new 170-pound champ. In the UFC 304 pre-fight press conference, ‘Bully B’ claimed that because of the love and respect he has for the Dagestani lightweight champ, he will “never fight” him.

Makhachev, of course, wants to make history and become the sixth concurrent two-division UFC champion by capturing the 170-pound gold. Muhammad hoped that by the time it was time for Makhachev to move up, he himself may get the green light to move up to 185 and contend for a second UFC championship.

As far as Edwards is concerned, however, the American has no such qualms. Nursing a grudge over catching flak from the fans and fellow fighters for their first fight being ruled a no-contest due to him, Muhammad cannot wait to get in the octagon with the Englishman, claiming he is “levels above” the champ.

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