Belal Muhammad is willing to fight one more time before he gets a UFC welterweight title shot – under one condition.
Muhammad (23-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) cemented himself as No. 1 contender when he defeated Gilbert Burns at UFC 288 in May. However, he was leapfrogged by Colby Covington, who will challenge welterweight champion Leon Edwards in the UFC 296 headliner on Dec. 16.
UFC CEO Dana White hinted that Muhammad has a fight booked, but Muhammad clarified that he’d only compete if a certain condition is met.
“We’re throwing stuff out at (the UFC),” Muhammad told MMA Junkie. “I’m willing to fight Sean Strickland at 185. I’m willing to go up there, that’s a title fight. So, I have a guarantee for a title fight. Also, at 170, the only other person that doesn’t have a fight is (Kamaru Usman), but when I’m looking at it, it doesn’t really make sense for me unless I’m getting paid like a champion, because Usman, I think, is a harder matchup than Colby or Leon, and I’m not going to get nothing for beating him.
“I’m not going to get a belt for beating him. Fighting Usman, I’m going to have a better resume than Usman – my resume is going to be tied with freaking GSP’s, and he’s considered the GOAT of the division. But, if I have Usman on my resume, Gilbert Burns, ‘Wonderboy,’ Luque, undefeated Sean Brady, which I think will pay dividends once Sean Brady comes back and fights, I’m going to be considered the GOAT of the welterweights without even fighting for the belt.”
For Muhammad, the plan is to train for both Edwards and Covington, in case one of them is forced out and he gets the call. He will no longer compete in the grappling match that was announced for ADXC 1 on Oct. 20, so he doesn’t risk getting injured.
He’s yet to be dubbed as the official backup but Muhammad said he doesn’t need a label to know he’s next.
“If they’re willing to pay me, for sure 100 percent,” Muhammad said on being a backup. “I’m going to be down there anyway, sitting front row, and I’ll have my WWE Money in the Bank briefcase, ready to hop over at any moment, step in there regardless if they want me to be the backup or not.
“But they’ve had backups for every single title fight recently, and I don’t think I needed to be cemented as the backup to know I’m next in line because they already cemented me by saying, ‘You beat Gilbert Burns, you’re fighting for the belt next.’ So I don’t need to be the backup, but if they want me to, of course. I’m down if they’re paying.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
