Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady booked for UFC 281

Surging welterweights Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady have been added to UFC 281.

Muhammad announced the fight Friday on social media, and multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed it to MMA Fighting after an initial report from ESPN.com.

UFC 281 takes place Oct. 22 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and marks the UFC’s return to the Middle East after UFC 267 and its extended Fight Island residence.

Muhammad and Brady traded jabs online about the potential matchup with Brady goading his colleague into the fight. Both welterweights hope to secure a title shot with champ Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards meeting at UFC 278 in the next chapter in the 170-pound division.

Muhammad brings the superior resume to the contest, going unbeaten in his past nine fights (a no-contest against Edwards in 2021 dashed his immediate title hopes). In his most recent outings, he has outpointed top-tier competitors Stephen Thompson and Vicente Luque, the latter of which avenged a knockout loss.

Brady, meanwhile, brings an unblemished record to the fight with a 15-0 ledger. In his most recent outing, he beat Michael Chiesa via unanimous decision to extend his octagon streak to five fights.

UFC 281 caps off the “Abu Dhabi Showdown Week.” A headliner for the pay-per-view card has yet to be announced.