With Colby Covington declared No. 1 contender, Belal Muhammad is eyeing a former champion next.
Muhammad (22-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) wanted Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) on the UFC 286 card in March in London, but was surprised to see Covington weigh in as a backup for the welterweight title fight, then dubbed next in line by Dana White.
Champion Leon Edwards retained his title against Kamaru Usman at The O2, but Muhammad sees perks in earning a title shot through a fight with former champ Usman (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC).
“Kamaru as champion, he beat Colby twice,” Muhammad said in an interview with “Jesse ON FIRE.” “I think that fight makes all the sense in the world. He was a guy that people considered the GOAT from the welterweight division. I go out there (and) starch him, beat him dominantly, there’s no denying me after that.
“That’s what I would hope for, because I don’t think he really took any damage in that Leon fight – nothing but leg kicks and body kicks. And if Leon is making that quick turnaround in July, I don’t see why Usman can’t.”
Muhammad is unbeaten in his past nine fights. His lone asterisk came in a no contest against Edwards, who inadvertently poked him in the eye and rendered him unable to continue in their March 2021 headliner.
Although White said Covington is the No. 1 contender, Edwards has his eyes on Saturday’s UFC 287 co-main event between Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal. If Masvidal wins, Edwards is keen on settling their beef, which stems from a backstage altercation in London in March 2019 in which “Gambred” attacked him and coined his infamous phrase “Three piece and a soda.”
