Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman recently broke his silence regarding a physical altercation with then-champion Belal Muhammad. This incident occurred during the filming of an episode of the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast, which features Usman and fellow former champion Henry Cejudo. The altercation has sparked interest in the MMA community, and Usman shared insights during an interview with SHAK MMA.
Usman remarked on Muhammad's recent ascent to the championship, saying, "He got to a point in his career as far as becoming champion. When you become champion, it validates a lot of things for you that maybe only you were able to see at one point. I think that's what it did for him." Usman expressed that during the podcast, there were comments made by Muhammad that he found distasteful. Despite their attempt to have a constructive conversation, Usman felt the interaction did not go as either fighter had hoped. He emphasized, "That was that. Nothing more, nothing less."
The podcast episode where the altercation took place has not been released. Muhammad later recounted his perspective on the situation during an appearance on the "Full Send Podcast." He explained the lead-up to the conflict, stating, "We were on his podcast, and Henry Cejudo was like, 'How does it feel to be champion? You're at the top now.' And I said it feels good right now because everybody wants to listen to you, everybody thinks you're the champ." Muhammad's remarks about being the current champion drew Usman's frustration.
According to Muhammad, Usman responded by asserting, "I was the champ, too," to which Muhammad replied, "Yeah, but you're not the champ anymore." This exchange intensified, with Usman unable to let go of the conversation, insisting, "But I'm right there." Muhammad countered with, "No, bro, you're on a three-fight losing streak." Tension escalated when Usman claimed, "Anything you do, I do better than you." Muhammad snapped back, "But you didn't take the head kick better than me," leading to Usman reportedly getting defensive and stating, "I don't play these games, man. It's on sight when people talk like that." Muhammad found this statement surprising given they were standing right in front of one another.
Notably, Muhammad lost the UFC welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May 2023. Usman expressed disappointment over Muhammad’s title loss, indicating that a fight between the two champions would have been a significant matchup. Usman stated, "It's unfortunate that he lost the title because that would have been a great fight between myself and Muhammad. It is what it is. We move on."
This Saturday, Kamaru Usman will headline UFC on ESPN 69 against No. 7 ranked Joaquin Buckley at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Usman's most recent bout occurred in October 2023, where he faced Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight match, ultimately suffering a loss. Fans anticipate Usman's performance as he looks to rebound from his recent setback and re-establish himself as a top contender in the welterweight division.
