Combined martial arts reporter, Ariel Helwani has hit out at each undisputed welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad, and former Octagon title challenger, Jake Shields — after each claimed the Canadian reporter has refused to characteristic the defending titleholder in a collection of his content material.
Muhammad, the present undisputed welterweight champion, has been sidelined since July, snatching the championship in a surprising rematch win over Leon Edwards — ending the Birmingham native’s title reign in a shutout unanimous determination win.
Dominated out of a return at UFC 310 over the course of final weekend in opposition to the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov, Illinois native, Muhammad watched on because the Uzbekistan finisher turned in a unanimous determination win of his personal over Ian Garry — handing the Dublin striker his first-ever skilled defeat in fight sports activities.
Ariel Helwani responds to claims from Belal Muhammad, Jake Shields
And earlier this week, Muhammad spoke with former UFC championship challenger, Shields throughout an interview, by which he alleged Helwani refused to “hype” him up following his title victory in opposition to Edwards.
Picture through: SPORTSNET on YouTube
I’ll say that from the start as a result of he (Ariel Helwani) has by no means invited me on his podcast,” Belal Muhammad defined. “He’s by no means invited me on. Then I signed with Ali (Abdelaziz) and he was like ‘Oh, it’s as a result of Ali wasn’t letting him come on’. You’ve by no means invited me on beforehand.
“My coach Louis Taylor won the PFL belt at 42 years and he never invited him on because he is with me,£ Belal Muhammad explained. “That’s a huge story that was something that should have been on a big podcast. But you didn’t talk about him. Even when I beat Leon (Edwards), you didn’t mention that. You didn’t give it any type of hype. For me, I don’t care. I don’t have no hate for nobody.”
Refuting claims from Shields and Muhammad that he refused to have the incumbent welterweight champion on numerous types of his content material, Ariel Helwani urged the previous to “p*ss off.
”Positive. Right here’s me texting his supervisor in 2016 (oldest I can discover) about having him on forward of his battle UFC 205. Spoiler: he by no means got here on. I’ve requested publicly and privately. Now p*ss off,” Helwani posted on X.
