Newly crowned UFC welterweight king Belal Muhammad finally silenced his critics by agreeing to put his title on the line against #3 ranked contender Shavkat Rakhmonov at the promotion’s showdown, UFC 310. ‘Remember The Name’ has faced scrutiny for not being an active champion, with ‘Nomad’ being the first to voice these concerns, as he has been eyeing Muhammad’s title belt ever since ‘Bully B’ dethroned Leon Edwards in a grueling five-round battle.

However, Belal Muhammad’s initial excitement has waned, as he appears to be grappling with the pressures of being champion, with numerous rumors circulating about potential challengers. If it wasn’t Shavkat Rakhmonov, could it have been the ‘Nigerian Nightmare,’ Kamaru Usman? Well, the Palestinian-American fighter doesn’t think so. Read below to see what the champion has to say about Usman’s eligibility for a title shot.

Belal Muhammad dismisses Kamaru Usman as a title challenger

Once labeled by UFC head honcho Dana White as the “greatest welterweight of all time,” ahead of Georges St-Pierre, Kamaru Usman had a successful seven-year run in the promotion, competing in 15 bouts and emerging victorious in each until 2022. Following his title loss to Leon Edwards, Usman is currently on a streak of consecutive losses, with the latest against Chechen prospect Khamzat Chimaev in 2023. Since then, the former welterweight king has been on hiatus, and speculation about his return to the octagon began circulating earlier this month, leaving fans eager to see him back in action.

However, during an interview with Submission Radio, Belal Muhammad dampened fans’ hopes when asked about Usman’s position in the discussion. Muhammad rejected the speculation, claiming, “Kamaru Usman wasn’t even in the mix. Nobody was really in the mix. Right after my fight, I knew it was going to be Shavkat for me. I knew I was just gonna mess around and talk trash because everybody wanted to have a voice now. Everybody wanted to mention my name, so you know me—I’m always gonna clap back.”

Few would have imagined that Muhammad would opt to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, whom many consider the “boogeyman,” over anyone else. But what can he do? Now that the UFC has already set the stage, with UFC 310 only a month and a half away,’ Remember The Name’ is preparing intensely and leaving no opportunity for the fight to simmer. Following tradition, he has already started issuing warnings to his Kazakh sensation opponent.

Muhammad is looking to dominate his ‘Kazakh’ opponent

After attempting to resist the title fight for so long, Belal Muhammad finally accepted his fate against Shavkat Rakhmonov, which is now sealed for the UFC 310 event. As their rivalry has begun to brew, both contenders have never shied away from taking verbal jabs at each other while also showing commendable respect. ‘Nomad’ has already opened up about facing the Palestinian-American sensation, who admitted he would fight anyone next in line for his title.

However, Muhammad doesn’t want to backtrack from his trash-talking persona and has issued a warning to the Kazakh sensation in a recent interview. In a statement, ‘Remember The Name’ said that when the fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov was offered to him, he accepted it because his fridge was empty.

He concluded, “I am always the hunter; I am never the hunted, even with this fight. I asked for this fight. I am the hunter, and I am starving. My fridge is empty; I need some Shavkat meat. No Di***. But that is what I am looking for. I want to fight the best guys, the toughest guys.”

What are your thoughts on Belal Muhammad’s remarks? Do you think Kamaru Usman is no longer a suitable contender for the title, given that his time in the promotion appears to have already reached its peak? Drop your opinion below.