UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after making a highly inappropriate reference to Jeffrey Epstein during a pre-fight press conference.
Controversial Comments Cause Confusion
The American fighter, who faces Irish rival Ian Garry on Saturday night, made the bizarre comparison while discussing his training regimen with younger fighters during Thursday's media session. Muhammad described working with 28-year-old Ignacio Bahamondes and a 17-year-old training partner he called "a monster" before venturing into deeply questionable territory.
"It feels like the Epstein files without the sex, right?" Muhammad told reporters. "I'm getting their powers through sparring and training, so it feels good."
The former welterweight champion appeared to be attempting humour, but his reference to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein landed with a thud among MMA fans and commentators.
Immediate Fan Reaction
Social media platforms erupted with criticism almost immediately after the comments circulated online. Fans expressed both discomfort and bewilderment at the fighter's choice of words.
One fan declared it "Top 5 worst things ever said on the mic in UFC history," while another questioned "what the f***" Muhammad was thinking when he made the comparison.
Another critic noted: "He could have probably said literally anything else and it would have been a better choice of words."
The backlash highlighted growing concern about inappropriate references in sports media, with one observer commenting: "Social media turned alot of ppl into weirdos. Saying strange s*** for the few troll accounts to laugh at but not realizing how dumb it makes them look."
Political Context and Timing
The controversial comments came just one day after former President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice to release all files collected during multiple federal investigations into Epstein within 30 days.
Trump signed the bill to release more than 100,000 pages of documents after both the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass the measure. In a statement on Truth Social, Trump suggested the release might expose Democrats' associations with Epstein, though his own long-standing relationship with the financier has been publicly documented for decades.
The legislation does include provisions allowing records to be withheld if they would jeopardise active federal investigations or contain images of child sexual abuse and victim identities.
Muhammad, who won the UFC welterweight title in July last year before being dethroned in May, now faces significant public relations damage ahead of his crucial fight against Garry this weekend.
