UFC Fight Night 121 results: Belal Muhammad takes split decision from Tim Means, calls out Colby Covington

Tim Means and Belal Muhammad scrapped tonight (Sat., Nov. 18, 2017) at UFC Fight Night 121 mixed martial arts (MMA) event from inside Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, broadcast live on FOX Sports 1. It would be a competitive affair leading to the night’s second straight split decision in a row.

Means came out aggressive, cutting off the cage. Muhammad hit him with a massive overhand. Means is hittable early, but a fighter that builds on momentum. He hit Muhammad with a low kick, also looking for a straight left to the body from his southpaw stance. Muhammad danced away, circling towards the outside. Means timed a nice one-two as he did, snapping his head back. Means just whiffed on a hook. Muhammad hit a right to the body, left hook upstairs in a very nice combination. He kicked Means in the calf. Muhammad put together three punches, then Means landed a nice lefts straight. Muhammad hit that nice right-body-left-head combination again. Muhammad was using feints nicely to put Means off. He shot for a takedown but it was stuffed. Means landed a nice elbow from a clinch. As the round ended Muhammad whiffed on a huge spinning backhand right over a ducking Means.

Means shot in the second round, overcame a guillotine attempt by Means and got top position for a few seconds. Means went back to pressuring, hitting a nice push kick. He jabbed Muhammad, who hit him with a counter right. They took turns jabbing and kicking each other’s legs. Means hit a nice left straight. Muhammad stepped in and slipped for a second. Means connected with a left straight to the body. Means looked for a high kick, just blocked. Means stuffed a takedown attempt.

Means hit a high kick to start round three and threw a hard combination. They exchanged, and Means spun Muhammad around with a low kick. Muhammad was pressuring, but his contact lens came out. He stopped the fight and put it back in. Then they started fighting again. Muhammad was falling just short on his jab. Means hit a high kick off his arms. Means ate an overhand right and tried to counter. Muhammad got deep on a shot but Means stuffed it anyway and hit him on the break. Muhammad landed a very nice one-two combination. Means tried a two-touch spinning back kick that just whiffed. Means slipped a combination and landed a lead hook. Both men were throwing hard and landing as the fight wore down. That was a nice hard scrap.

When the scorecards were read, Muhammad had taken the bout via split decision. In the post-fight interview, Belal Muhammad said he’s got someone in mind for his next fight: a coward named Colby Covington, who better meet him in the cage, because if they meet on the street, Muhammad said he intends to put Covington in the hospital.

Official result: Belal Muhammad def. Tim Means via split decision (29-28x2, 28-29)

For complete Fight Night 121 results, including play-by-play, click here