After shockingly winning the UFC welterweight title at UFC 304 on July 27, Belal Muhammad has already short-listed the two opponents he would like his first title defense to come against.
Having only accumulated two title defenses, Dana White stated at the UFC 304 post-fight press conference that Leon Edwards likely wouldn’t be granted an immediate rematch, which Belal Muhammad agreed with.
At UFC Abu Dhabi this past Saturday, ‘Remember The Name’ attended his first event as the newly crowned champion, supporting his new teammate, Umar Nurmagomedov.
Belal Muhammad talks first UFC title defense for ‘legacy’ or to fight ‘boogeyman’
During the event, the 36-year-old champion spoke with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev, the two who helped him tremendously in his preparation for his title fight.
He and Islam Makhachev shared a moment together where they posed in front of cameras with their UFC title, which amused former welterweight king, Kamaru Usman.
Responding to ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’, Muhammad said: “He also taught me how to clean your fingerprints off it.”
Usman didn’t find his response funny and claimed that if it wasn’t for him providing the blueprint on how to beat ‘Rocky’ Edwards, then Muhammad would’ve never become champion.
“Lol I did what you couldn’t do… I finished the job I’ll send you bully’s blueprint pdf… just enter your email and credit card information,” Muhammad jokingly responded.
With the tension seemingly building between the current champion and the former champion, Muhammad could be setting up his first title defense. Many have been calling for Belal’s first defense to come against Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is still undefeated.
“Anyone of them (Kamaru Usman or Shavkat Rakhmonov), right. Usman, obviously I think for legacy, he was one of the biggest names in the division, he’s under GSP (Georges St-Pierre) and I think he’s still got tread on the tires even though he had losses, close fight with Leon then a close fight to Khamzat (Chimaev),” Muhammad began to explain in an interview with ESPN MMA.
“I think name value he has a bigger name (than Rakhmonov), but also I want to fight the boogeyman, the boogeyman that everyone says that he can beat anybody, he can walk through anybody and the way my career has been they’ve always been putting me as an underdog,” he continued.
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Kamaru Usman claims Belal Muhammad isn’t like him as he talks potential fight
The 37-year-old Nigerian was one of the most active champions when he reigned over the 170lb division, defending his title three times in 2021.
With that, he has claimed that Muhammad ‘isn’t like us’ and will likely attempt to prolong his title reign for as long as possible by not fighting as actively as he says he will.
“Belal stuck to his guns and decided hey, you know what, I’m gonna wait (for my title shot). So I don’t take anything away from him and I don’t see a world where Belal doesn’t say yeah, I waited so long to earn this title I want to enjoy it a little, this feels nice to be called the UFC welterweight champion,” Usman explained on the Pound 4 Pound Podcast.
“I can understand him wanting to feel that feeling rather than rush back into camp and rush back into another fight but you know, they’re not like us, like me, I was willing to jump back in that motherf*****,” Usman stated.
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