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Belal Muhammad publicly calls for Palestine flag on his UFC profile

Belal Muhammad urges UFC to add Palestine flag to his profile, citing his heritage and UFC’s stance on free speech.

Sports Desk March 07, 2025

Belal Muhammad has publicly requested that the UFC display the Palestine flag next to his name on the promotion’s website.

The issue gained attention after fans noticed the absence of a flag alongside Muhammad’s profile, while other fighters competing at UFC 315 had theirs displayed.

Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) addressed the matter in a social media post on Thursday, urging UFC President Dana White to rectify the situation.

“People keep asking me, ‘Where’s your flag?’ I kept getting multiple messages from it, and I was assuming it was a mistake, but it’s still not addressed,” Muhammad said. “So I’ll address it and hope that Dana addresses it as well and fixes it, because Dana said he’s all about free speech. He’s all about people supporting who they want to support and not muting or silencing anybody," Muhammad added.

"I’m hoping that the UFC fixes this issue and puts my flag next to my name so the people that I represent, the people that I fight for, and the people that I train for, will see their flag," Muhammad said.

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A post shared by Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170)

Born in Chicago, Muhammad has deep family ties to Palestine and has consistently represented his heritage throughout his career. Amid the ongoing war in Gaza, he has been vocal in his support for Palestine.

Currently, all 21 fighters competing at UFC 315 on May 10 have flags next to their names, except Muhammad. Across other events, two debutants—Ateba Gautier (Cameroon) and Ahmad Hassanzada (Afghanistan)—also do not have flags.

The UFC initially banned national flags in 2022 following the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war but reversed the policy in October 2023. White defended the reinstatement, stating, “Flags are back. If any flags hurt your feelings, too f*cking bad.”

Muhammad, 37, is set to defend his title against rising contender Jack Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC 315, taking place on May 10 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.