UFC Rumors: Kamaru Usman Puts Leon Edwards, Belal Muhammad, and Shavkat Rakhmonov on Alert After Teasing WW Return

The UFC welterweight division may need to stay alert as Kamaru Usman has dropped a massive hint about his return to 170 lbs! This arrived after it was recently announced by UFC CEO Dana White that, welterweight champion, Leon Edwards will be defending his title against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in Manchester, England.

There is history between the two as they had faced each other back in 2021 but the bout was declared a no-contest due to an accidental eye-poke in the second round, leaving Muhammad unable to continue. The news also gained Kamaru Usman’s attention as the former UFC welterweight champion has put the MMA world on notice with a possible tease about wanting to reclaim his throne!

Kamaru Usman drops hints about UFC 304 being a catalyst for his return to WW

Belal Muhammad has made his shot at the UFC welterweight title undeniable as he is currently riding on a 10-fight undefeated streak that began with his win over Curtis Millender in 2019. His last fight was against Gilbert Burns at UFC 288 in 2023 where he secured a unanimous decision victory on the night.

Edwards, on the other hand, made the second defense of his welterweight title against Colby Covington at UFC 296. ‘Rocky’ secured a decision victory over 5 rounds but ‘Chaos’ was the focus of a lot of criticism by many experts and fans for his lackluster performance inside the Octagon.

As such, speaking on an episode of the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast, Kamaru Usman made his thoughts known about the news of the upcoming welterweight division title showdown. He stated, “Breaking news as always, I’m excited, about time… about time, now we have some sort of clarity in the welterweight division to kinda move again. And the King may return, you know.”

Usman is currently on a 3-fight losing streak in the UFC that began with his head-kick KO loss to Edwards at UFC 278 in 2022, where he lost his title to ‘Rocky’. Their rematch at UFC 286 also ended in defeat for ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’. He then stepped in on short notice to take on Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 at 185 lbs and despite a respectable performance, was unable to secure the win as he lost the bout via majority decision.

If Usman does return to the welterweight division, it’d be a massive shift in the landscape as according to information available on the UFC’s official ranking page, Usman still holds the number 1 spot in the division with rising contender, Shavkat Rakhmonov sitting at number 3.

As such, if Muhammad wins the title, then Usman might get a shot at the champion, or he might be facing Shavkat Rakhmonov to determine who gets to take on the winner of UFC 304 next. Nevertheless, speculation aside, Usman has also made a prediction for the outcome of the UFC welterweight title clash as he revealed his pick for the winner of the Manchester event!

Usman makes a bold prediction for UFC 304 title clash

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will be keeping a close eye on the upcoming UFC 304 title clash. However, he has made a bold prediction ahead of the event. Speaking on the ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast, he stated, “This is a very intriguing fight. But, Leon just being the champion, and being confident in being the champion, I think he’s gonna be sharp…if he trains properly, I think he will be victorious.”

Usman also pointed out the evolution of the sport, noting how fighters now use the cage to their advantage to get back on their feet. Therefore, he believes that Muhammad might struggle to keep Edwards down in the center of the cage due to him not being a “high enough level of a wrestler to take him down to the center of the cage, and keep him down there…”.

In conclusion, as UFC 304 approaches, the welterweight division is poised for dramatic shifts, with Usman’s potential return adding to the anticipation for the fans. Do you think Kamaru Usman can reclaim his title if he chooses to come back to 170 lbs? And will Belal Muhammad be able to end Leon Edwards reign in at UFC 304? Share your thoughts in the comments below!