Blood, as they say, is thicker than water. But UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad‘s recent actions show that that is not always the case. After working his butt off virtually his entire life, grinding hard, putting on a ten-fight undefeated streak, still being passed over for a title shot, and suffering immense trolling from the fans, ‘Bully B’ finally became champion last year.

But the Chicago native would give all that up in a heartbeat and be happy becoming just another contender—in a different weight class, no less—for his friend Islam Makhachev. The Dagestani lightweight champ, of course, is desperate to win a second title. And the most logical way to do that would be to move up one weight class and fight for the 170-pound crown.

However, Muhammad is clear—he would “never fight Islam.” Why? Well, because of everything Makhachev and his Dagestani cohort have done for Muhammad. “I would never want to do that, and they’ve helped me so much. So for me, I would rather go up to 185 pounds and let him just take 170 if that is the case,” the welterweight champ told ‘Barstool Sports’ in a recent interview.

Many find this very admirable on Muhammad’s part. But others, such as UFC commentator and former champion Daniel Cormier, are perplexed and find Muhammad’s potential martyrdom at the altar of his friendship with Makhachev totally unnecessary.

“For me, watching Belal say that [he would rather vacate his welterweight title than fight Islam Makhachev for it], I just don’t understand the reasoning. I don’t understand the reasoning because it’s not needed,” ‘DC’ told co-host Ben Askren on their ‘Funky and the Champ’ show.

Well, actually, it does seem pretty straight forward why the welterweight king doesn’t want to fight Makhachev—the two men are as close as brothers, and Muhammad doesn’t want to fight someone he loves. What is there to not get? But on the other hand, Cormier is totally correct on one point: Muhammad refusing to fight Makhachev would rob fans of a cracking matchup.

“And if you’re being completely truthful, he does have the type of style that could present problems for Islam Makhachev. Because he has good boxing, he has good wrestling, he’s got good pace and cardio, he can defend takedowns. He seems like the type of guy that would be a person that could compete with Islam,” he added. But first, the Palestinian-origin 170-pound champ has some serious business to take care of.

Belal Muhammad set to make his first title defense this May

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind what the best fight at welterweight is at the moment. Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated boogeyman of the division versus the reigning champ, Belal Muhammad. That fight, of course, was set for last December, but Muhammad got a bone infection and had to pull out.

But thankfully, things seemed to be coming together as Rakhmonov was offered the title shot at UFC 315 this May. Alas, fate had different plans. “Big thanks to the UFC for offering me the shot at the belt first. Unfortunately, due to injury, I won’t be ready for May. I’ll be facing the winner later this year,” Rakhmonov wrote in an X post last week.

Since Muhammad wants to remain active, the UFC has given him young and hungry #4-ranked Aussie wunderkind Jack Della Maddalena instead. And if Makhachev insists on moving up to welterweight and does it in the near future, that may be the last time we see Muhammad at welterweight. What do you think about Daniel Cormier’s take on Muhammad claiming he would move to middleweight if Makhachev wants to fight for the welterweight clash?