Belal Muhammad issues statement following UFC Qatar loss to Ian Machado Garry

Belal Muhammad wasted little time issuing a statement after falling short against Ian Machado Garry in the UFC Qatar co-main event.

Muhammad and Garry went the distance, and it was “The Future” who earned the unanimous decision victory. While Garry has emerged as a top contender at welterweight, Muhammad will now take a step down the 170-pound ladder.

“Remember The Name” took to his Instagram account to speak out after suffering his second loss in a row to end 2025.

“We couldn’t get it done,” Muhammad wrote. “Thank you Doha for the memories. Thank you to my team and family and friends that are with me no matter what and thank you to anyone that’s with me ..Alhamdillah for everything I’m blessed to be here …we have work to do.”

Prior to the bout this Saturday, Muhammad told Newsweek Sports that he was excited to share the Octagon with Garry and he was impressed by the Irishman’s growing resume.

“He’s a guy that’s willing to fight anybody,” Muhammad said. “You’ve seen him fight MVP [Michael Page], who’s a tough puzzle. You’ve seen him fight Shavkat [Rakhmonov], you’ve seen him fight Prates. The kid is smart. He understands that you have to fight everybody, and he’s trying to be the best in the world. It pumps you up. It makes you excited because you want to beat a guy that’s willing to fight anybody.”

What’s next for the 37-year-old Muhammad remains to be seen. He has gone winless this year, but a big victory in 2026 could put him right back in the title mix. Muhammad had gone 10-0, 1 NC in his last 11 outings before losing the UFC Welterweight Championship to Jack Della Maddalena back in May.

As for Garry, he’s calling for a shot at Islam Makhachev’s 170-pound gold. Whether or not he has cemented himself as the No. 1 contender remains to be seen.