Kamaru Usman slams Belal Muhammad for pushing him to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov as title contender: "This is about money"
Kamaru Usman recently called out Belal Muhammad for not acting like a champion, as the bad blood between the two welterweights continues to build.
'Remember the Name' and 'The Nigerian Nightmare' have been at war with one another following Muhammad's capture of the 170-pound title. The 36-year-old won the belt after facing Leon Edwards at UFC 304 back in July, comfortably winning the fight via unanimous decision and extending his undefeated streak to 11 fights.
Since picking up the title, many fans and fighters, including Usman, have been offering their two cents as to who should be the next challenger. The notable names mentioned have been an Edwards trilogy bout, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Usman himself.
Whilst many would argue that 'Nomad' is deserving of the next shot, considering he is 18-0 in his career (6-0 UFC), Kamaru Usman has been calling for his own chance to reclaim the belt he lost to Edwards. Belal Muhammad, however, isn't keen on the idea, and believes Usman and Rakhmonov should face-off in a No.1 contender bout.
His suggestion has not gone down well with Usman, who recently provided his response on the latest episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo. Discussing Muhammad's idea of a No.1 contender bout, Usman said:
"If I want his [Muhammad's] belt. I'm coming to take his belt. I want the fight but when you've got him sitting down and saying 'you guys fight and then I'll fight the winner'. Listen, that's not a recipe for how you make money. This is about money. Once you become champion, You need to make as much as you can with this position."
Check out Usman's comments here (10:36):
Gilbert Burns reacts to Kamaru Usman seeking a welterweight title shot
Gilbert Burns has offered his take on Kamaru Usman potentially fighting Belal Muhammad for the welterweight title.
Usman last stepped into the octagon at UFC 294, stepping in on short notice to face Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight. Despite a valiant performance from 'The Nigerian Nightmare', he lost the fight via majority decision, marking his third straight loss.
Speaking to Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, 'Durinho' weighed in on where Usman stands in regards to the 170-pound title picture, believing the former welterweight champ should earn his shot, rather than be handed it. He said:
"I think it would be a shame. You know, the guy [Kamaru Usman] has three [straight] losses. One [was] that crazy highlight knockout and then he lost the rematch and then, 'oh, it was short notice'. Yeah, but no one put a gun in your face and asked you to fight. You said, 'oh, I want to fight', so you fought. That’s three losses. You know, for sure, he needs to bounce back. He's tough. I get it, [but] three losses in a row back-to-back."
Catch Burns' comments here (9:45):