Kamaru Usman thinks UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is nearing Colby Covington territory with his trash talk.
That's quite the statement from former champion Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC), considering that Covington has gone after his father's troubled past in the build-up of their title fights. Usman was pointing to Muhammad's dig at UFC 315 opponent Jack Della Maddalena.
Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) is referring to the rumor that emerged about Della Maddalena needing a fundraiser to fly the rest of his coaching staff to Montreal, Quebec, Canada for his title fight on May 10. That rumor was later debunked as a misunderstanding.
Either way, Usman was critical of Muhammad's way with words.
"I don't think that's very Muslim-esque," Usman said of Muhammad on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Cejudo. "We don't care about that. It is what it is. This is a guy who really is, for as much as you say you don't like Covington for what Covington did to get to the top of the division and how he talks to people, you're not far from it right now.
"And I think a lot of fans see that, and a lot of fans understand that as well, but it is what it is. At least these two guys are going to be able to step in there and actually settle it, so I'm excited for that."
Usman's dislike for Muhammad stems from an alleged scuffle that they had when Muhammad came on as a guest on his podcast. The episode never aired, but Usman's co-host Henry Cejudo confirmed that things got physical between the two.
"I almost got kicked," Cejudo told MMA Junkie. "Punches were thrown, and I had a messed-up ankle at that time. So Kamaru Usman and Belal, Belal was kicking me to my head, dude. Luckily I did a little slip. But it was definitely Rated R."
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