UFC on ESPN 11 featured some action-packed fights and one of those was a welterweight bout between Belal Muhammad and Lyman Good. Both fighters were originally supposed to meet in April; however, Good tested positive for coronavirus, which forced the fight to be canceled. On Saturday, the finally met and it was a hard-fought match with each fighter having their moments.
In the end though, it was Belal Muahmmad who came away with the unanimous decision win (29-28 x3). Muhammad was the busier of the two in the first round, sticking and moving to avoid the power of Good. Muhammad relied on his quickness and speed to stay out of harm's way for much of the first two rounds.
Sensing that he needed a finish, Good came out in the final frame with the intent to put Muhammad out. He connected with a powerful right hand that clearly stunned Muhammad, who forced a grappling exchange to regain his bearings. With fatigue setting in and Muhammad not moving as quickly, the fight turned into more of a brawl.
Good continued to press forward and found more success with his shots, but Muhammad never shied away. He embraced the battle and responded with haymakers of his own, although he was definitely on the receiving end of more of the shots. With the fight winding down, Muhammad scored a late takedown to secure the win.
Belal Muhammad has now won three straight fights. With an impressive 7-1 record in his past eight fights, he's looking to take on a more serious welterweight contender. Specifically, he called out Santiago Ponzinibbio, who hasn't fought since November 2018.
“Santiago Ponzinibbio you’ve been out for like 25 years,” Muhammad said after the fight. ”I don’t know how you’re still in the rankings.”