Belal Muhammad has never shied away from using his platform as a UFC fighter to support causes that matter to him. The UFC welterweight contender often walks into the Octagon carrying a Palestinian flag to highlight his family’s roots. Although Muhammad was born and raised in Chicago alongside his four siblings, his parents originally hailed from Al-Bireh in Palestine.
Ahead of his UFC 263 clash Against Demian Maia, ‘Remember The Name’ had confessed, “For me now, I have a voice for the voiceless. There aren’t a lot of Palestinian athletes that have a stage or platform where they can carry the flag.” But that isn’t the only flag that Muhammad has been supporting as a recent photo highlighted his support for the Pride movement going all the way back to 2020!
Belal Muhammad’s 2020 support for the Pride movement brought to light
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In a post shared on Reddit, a user pointed out, “I never noticed but apparently Belal Muhammad wore the pride shorts in his fight against Lyman Good in 2020”. The post contained pictures of Muhammad with the rainbow banner displayed proudly on his shorts as he threw down with Lyman Good at UFC Vegas 3.
Do you think Belal Muhammad’s support for the Pride movement will impact his rematch with Leon Edwards?
Which UFC fighter’s walkout song gets you the most pumped up?
Do you think Dana White’s $76 billion goal for UFC is achievable?
Maybe, but it’s a stretch
Who do you think will come out on top in the Diego Lopes vs. Brian Ortega fight?
Don’t care, just want a good fight
The UFC also launched a series of t-shirts in 2019 in honor of Pride month which featured the words, ‘We Are All Fighters’ in the rainbow colors with 100% of the profits from the apparel sales going to support the efforts of GLAAD. Muhammad is no stranger to doing anything he can to support a cause. Ahead of his UFC 280 clash against Sean Brady in Abu Dhabi, Muhammad and UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev took the time to pause their preparations to pay a visit to the Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital in Dubai.
The heart-warming visit involved the UFC star’s meeting young patients, posing for pictures, and gifting them signed gloves and other UFC memorabilia. Muhammad later revealed in an interview, “You never want to see a kid suffer; you never want to see a kid go through that. But they are. So, for me being able to put a smile on their face, to see them laugh or throw a punch and see them excited to see us, it’s an amazing thing because it tells me I’m fighting for something bigger, more than just wins and losses.”
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By brightening the lives of young patients and advocating for inclusion, Muhammad embodies the essence of fighting to make a difference in the world. Another UFC fighter who proudly walked into the Octagon wearing Pride-themed shorts in 2022 had an interesting response to the backlash he had received from a certain section of the community!
‘El Jefe’ blasts MMA fans for their discriminatory outlook towards Pride month fight kit
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At UFC Vegas 56, UFC flyweight Jeff Molina chose to walk into the Octagon wearing UFC’s Pride Month shorts to help in the fund-raising efforts in support of the LGBTQIA+ Center of Southern Nevada. But a large section of the MMA Sphere wasn’t pleased with his actions as Molina was inundated with hateful and disparaging messages on social media.
During the post-fight press conference, an incensed Molina addressed the outrage by stating, “I just thought in 2022 people would be a little more open-minded and not pieces of s***, but I guess I was wrong. It’s just crazy to me.” Despite the negativity, Molina remained steadfast in his beliefs and urged others to be more compassionate and understanding. In conclusion, the support shown by Belal Muhammad and other fighters like Jeff Molina for social causes reminds us all that athletes have the power to inspire and effect change, both within and outside their respective sports.