Former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman’s run as divisional pacesetter within the UFC has been referred to as into heavy query by present divisional kingpin, Belal Muhammad — who ripped the previous pound-for-pound primary as a “coward” throughout his championship reign.
Usman, the present quantity three ranked welterweight challenger, has been sidelined since October of 2023, most not too long ago struggling a controversial majority determination loss towards unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi in a short-notice showdown.
The defeat got here as Auchi veteran, Usman’s third on the trot — following a title rematch and subsequent rubber match trilogy loss to fellow ex-champion, Leon Edwards in his final three outings.
And but to e-book his comeback to the Octagon amid continued hypothesis over his combating future — Usman had beforehand issued a stark warning to his counterparts at 170lbs forward of a deliberate return to energetic competitors.
“For these of you who hold considering I’m not combating as a result of I’m selecting to not combat, like all these silly fighters operating their mouths,” Kamaru Usman defined. “Nobody is fearful of any of you. I’ve been on the high of the division, pound-for-pound, with an iron fist spanking all of y’all for some time.”
“When I’m wholesome, I’ll get in there,” Kamaru Usman mentioned. “I need to combat. I can’t wait to combat to whoop considered one of y’all. So shut your mouth, all of you silly welterweights, shut your mouth and await when I’m wholesome once more. I’ll combat all of you, I don’t care. Simply be affected person, okay? Thanks. 2025 will likely be a terrific yr for everyone.”
Belal Muhammad hits out at Kamaru Usman’s title reign at welterweight
Nevertheless, a particular naysayer of Usman has come within the type of present welterweight titleholder, Muhammad — who hit out on the former welterweight champion’s reign atop the division.
“That’s the factor when Kamaru was champion he wasn’t on the lookout for exams,” Muhammad mentioned throughout an interview with MMA Preventing. “He was a coward champion. He was the champion with ‘oh let me get the rematch with Colby [Covington], who sucks’ or ‘let me get the rematch with [Jorge] Masvidal.’ His reign was rematches.”
“He by no means needed to combat the subsequent greatest man. He by no means needed the man on the new streak. He prevented these guys, prevented these powerful exams. He was the coward champion. He wasn’t on the lookout for the hardest exams. He wasn’t that man.”
