Media Helwani claims that the three fights Leon was offered for UFC 300 were against Khamzat, Islam and Shavkat

[jx820]

To be fair, how is Chimaev going to miss weight by nearly 10 lbs while fasting?

 

[Phisher]

Well Dana also said Leon accepted 3 fights (didn't confirm what 3 though), and although I'll usually disbelieve anything he says, he's usually either bullshitting to tear down all fighters or prop up his few huge stars, so this is likely true

Leon was a guy whom Dana crapped on publicly and had removed from the rankings during the pandemic.

If Dana is praising him effusively, it's because Leon was legitimately down to fight whoever they wanted at UFC 300.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Belal is also a Muslim, so I guess there wasn't really a good fight for Leon.

Belal is pretty vocal about still training and fighting during Ramadan

 

[DoctorStoppage]

Just give Belal the title shot already, it’s not like Leon is that exciting/dominant of a champ anyway.

 

[Captain Insano]

They are dissing him because he is Palestinan

He was born in Chicago. His parents loved Palestine so much that they left.

 

[Nous]

Legit question, swear to god -

Do we think that Islam, Shavkat and Khamzat are pro-Israel?

Or just that they would be less inclined to say something, because they don't carry the flag and haven't raised their opinion before?

I could buy that for Shavkat and maybe Islam, but I don't see Khamzat being very controllable in his post fight interviews.

They are all clearly Pro-Palestinan

But I just think there is a huge difference between being pro-palestinan, and risk having an actual champion which is palestinan, and which would talk about it in literarily every interview he did as a champion.

 

[Nous]

But have no issue promoting Khamzat, the guy who openly supported Palestine in his post fight interview.

Has to be that.....

Look, we knew they cut the Islam interview where he said pro-palestinan stuff on their social media. We know they specifically banned fighters from coming out with the Palestinan flag that event.

Given this, they it seems we have every reason to believe they would not want to risk having a palestinan champion who would bring up the talking point as often as he could.

 

[Nous]

He's American. His parents are Palestinian.

What are you? Martin Luther King made flesh?

 

[blaseblase]

What are you? Martin Luther King made flesh?

I do have a dream. It's probably not as great as his.

 

[Megatronlee]

Having Islam fight Leon on 300 would have been mental with Gaethje, Arman, and Oliveira on the same card.

Nah I don’t wanna see Islam beat them and waste our time

 

[Lepo Lepo]

Belal must feel like a real loser. Literally no one likes him. Only reason people “like him” is politically related.

 

[mjoln]

Afaik UFC have to offer few fights/year. So they offer some impossible bullshit just to keep contract in order.

 

[Conan the K-9]

Belal is pretty vocal about still training and fighting during Ramadan

Belal used to be a normal American fighter, never mentioning religion, until he saw an easy opportunity to get somekind of a fanbase like the other muslim fighters on the roster. Don’t know if that worked or even has done the opposite?

 

[HP_Nut]

Legit question, swear to god -

Do we think that Islam, Shavkat and Khamzat are pro-Israel?

Or just that they would be less inclined to say something, because they don't carry the flag and haven't raised their opinion before?

I could buy that for Shavkat and maybe Islam, but I don't see Khamzat being very controllable in his post fight interviews.

I honestly believe the UFC has no problems with Muslim champs, they may even desire them in terms of marketing, but I do think they do not want a Palestinian champ. There's literally a war going on at the moment, its a very sensitive topic, especially as the real head of the company, is a known & proud Zionist (Emanuel, Endeavour CEO). They do not want any headlines "1st UFC Palestinian champion" etc (even though Belal is US born & I think he loses to Leon, they don't wanna chance it)

 

[IDGETKTFO]

Belal used to be a normal American fighter, never mentioning religion, until he saw an easy opportunity to get somekind of a fanbase like the other muslim fighters on the roster. Don’t know if that worked or even has done the opposite?

I think there is a lot of vocal muslim fans, but they don't represent the majority of the casual base. And most of them aren't PPV paying customers.

 

[HP_Nut]

He was born in Chicago. His parents loved Palestine so much that they left.

There's a decent chance his parents were evicted from their house. Sure, some Palestinians stayed behind but it didn't work out too well for those that did

 

[TITS]

Leon would have jabbed the faces off of Islam Manletchev and Shavket. Khmazat is the only one with half a chance, but I believe Leon would stuff him in the later rounds and use his head as a speedbag.

 

[FloydMayweatherMMA]

There's actually a bunch - Khabib Nurmagomedov, Sharabutdin Magomedov, Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, etc.

Any fighter with Magomedov (which is Muhammad) in their name.

I get the point you're trying to make, but Khabib's name is Nurmagomedov. I'm not disputing that it translates to Muhammad, but his name isn't Khabib Nurmuhammad.

That's like saying Dana White's name is actually Dana Blanc if you happen to be in France at the time. That's not how names work.

This was supposed to be a hilarious joke at Belal's expense. I didn't expect people to come at me with things like facts and logic.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Belal used to be a normal American fighter, never mentioning religion, until he saw an easy opportunity to get somekind of a fanbase like the other muslim fighters on the roster. Don’t know if that worked or even has done the opposite?

Nah, I've heard him talking Ramadan since back during his training for Jordan Mein, like 2017. The talks may have ramped up, probably since starting his training with Khabib and friends in 2022, but that's also around the same time that he should have been considered for a title shot and wasn't, so either reason could be why he increased being vocal

 

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

Three Muslims who won't fight during Ramadan, and Khamzat can't even get into the US anymore.

So three guys that were unavailable?