UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad hasn’t liked the recent remarks coming from the mouth of his division’s former titleholder, Kamaru Usman.
Usman hasn’t competed since October 2023, sitting out the entirety of 2024 following a narrow decision loss to the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev up at middleweight.
Prior to that, he suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of Leon Edwards, once to lose the title and then to fail in his attempt at regaining it.
Nevertheless, “The Nigerian Nightmare” hasn’t lost faith in his ability to still compete at the top, something he plans to prove in his return later this year.
Though it remains to be seen what opposition that could come against, Usman won’t be short on options. He’s spent recent times berating those in the division who frequently call him out, outlining that he will face whomever once fit and healthy.
But during a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Muhammad criticized the tone of those comments with a fiery onslaught, which included him branding Usman a “coward” and “just a podcaster.”
“It’s so funny when you have a guy like him, right?” Muhammad said. “He’s on a three-fight losing streak, and when these guys are calling him out, he’s acting like — he’s putting himself on this pedestal like he’s still the champion, like they shouldn’t be calling him out. Bro, you’re just a podcaster now. You haven’t fought in over a year, and if you’re not gonna defend your ranking, then leave, quit!
“I just need Usman to get a win,” Muhammad continued. “Like, he sucks so bad right now, like it’s just embarrassing where I just feel bad for him. Like he goes out there, you obviously have to fight somebody that’s on a streak. I think (Joaquin) Buckley called him out. Buckley’s been killing it at 170 (pounds). He just made Colby (Covington) look like a rookie. I think he goes out there and figures out a way to beat him. I know they offered him JDM (Jack Della Maddalena), but he turned it down because he’s a coward.”
The pair’s heated exchanges have certainly set the stage nicely for a possible showdown. For the time being, though, that is some way off from coming to fruition.
Muhammad will first have his sights on Shavkat Rakhmonov. After the cancellation of their planned headliner at UFC 310 last month following an injury to the champ, they’re expected to renew hostilities for the next welterweight title fight.
Usman, meanwhile, remains at the very least one win over a high-ranked contender away from reinserting himself into the championship conversation.