Aug 20, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) before the fight against Leon Edwards (blue gloves) during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

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Despite Podcast Beef, Kamaru Usman Has No Desire to Fight Belal Muhammad Anymore

Kamaru Usman has no plans to fight Belal Muhammad after he lost to the belt to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315!

In the UFC welterweight division, few rivalries have been as puzzling and unconventional as the one between former champion Kamaru Usman and current title contender Belal Muhammad. What makes their beef particularly interesting is how it developed mostly outside the cage. Unlike traditional MMA rivalries that stem from in-fight drama or personal attacks, the Usman-Muhammad tension reached its peak during a podcast recording that never saw the light of day.

According to Henry Cejudo, who witnessed the whole thing, the atmosphere got so heated that “hands were thrown, slaps were given.” That’s quite a claim as most podcast beefs usually involve nothing more dangerous than harsh words and maybe some awkward silence.

Kamaru Usman Not Interested In The Fight Anymore

Now that Belal Muhammad has lost his welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Muhammad had recently expressed interest in fighting Usman as a way to climb back toward championship contention. However, Usman doesn’t seem particularly motivated by the prospect. During UFC Atlanta media day, the former champion made it clear that their relationship isn’t built on the same kind of genuine hatred that fueled his previous rivalries.

“Now here’s the thing, when Belal Muhammad was champion, there was a reason to fight Belal Muhammad. He had the title. Let’s be honest here, we’re not the best of friends, but I don’t wish him any bad. But what do you have to offer me? You going to give me a side deal? You going to throw me a little extra cash on the side? If he’s willing to do that, maybe. But who knows? I hope he’s recovering well. That was a tough loss. Hopefully, he bounces back.”

Kamaru Usman isn’t interested in a fight with Belal Muhammad anymore

“When Belal Muhammad was champion, there was a reason to fight Belal. He had a title…

What do you have to offer me? You gonna throw me a little extra cash?”

🎥 @ufc #UFCAtlanta pic.twitter.com/UtsiADCPZa
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 11, 2025

Usman sees Muhammad as just another guy in the division who happened to wear the belt for a while. There’s no deep personal animosity, no burning desire for revenge, and certainly no financial incentive that makes the fight worth pursuing. The former champion even showed some genuine concern for Muhammad’s recovery from his title loss.

Looking ahead, Usman has much bigger plans than settling old scores with Muhammad. He’s talking about potentially fighting Islam Makhachev, moving up to middleweight, and even capturing titles in multiple divisions. These ambitious goals reveal that he is a fighter who’s focused on legacy-building rather than getting caught up in manufactured drama!

(Image Credit: Jeffrey Swinger – Imagn Images)

Belal Muhammad

Kamaru Usman

UFC Atlanta

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!