As he chased his personal alternative to change into a UFC champion, Belal Muhammad referred to as out any variety of high contenders, and Colby Covington typically sat close to the highest of his want listing.
A 3-time title challenger and one-time interim champion, Covington consistently occupied a spot close to the highest of the UFC welterweight rankings, however finally opted to face former buddy Jorge Masvidal in 2022. He then sat out for greater than a yr awaiting one other title shot, which arrived this previous December. Covington got here up quick once more in his third bid to change into undisputed champion, dropping a lopsided choice to Leon Edwards at UFC 296.
With a damaged foot now healed, Covington has began trying towards his UFC return and he lastly referred to as out Muhammad as a possible opponent with Muhammad awaiting the scheduling of his personal title battle towards Edwards, which takes place at UFC 304 on Saturday. After chasing that battle for years solely to have his callouts fall on deaf ears, Muhammad seems like now he’s returning the favor by scoffing at Covington asking to face him.
“That was actually the funniest factor,” Muhammad instructed MMA Preventing. “I’m not even going to convey consideration to it as a result of then I’m going to have a back-and-forth with him. This man’s a joke now. He understands he’s a joke now. So he’s making an attempt to go on the market and name out these greater names now. He’s calling out me, he’s calling out [Charles] Oliveira. Ian Garry’s not value it. Why, as a result of Ian Garry’s a foul matchup for you?
“He is aware of that if he loses yet one more battle, it’s over. How horrible that final battle was, he’s determined for one thing. He’s determined for a win. I feel he’s going to take a seat there and wait. Possibly he’s going to name out a [featherweight] or anyone and hope a type of guys chunk on the bullet.”
Muhammad has moved past Covington as a possible opponent, however what a couple of potential showdown towards former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor?
Because it stands, the Irish celebrity nonetheless hasn’t fought since 2021, however was initially scheduled to face Michael Chandler at UFC 303 earlier than a damaged pinky toe compelled him out of the battle.
Assuming the battle will get rescheduled, the matchup would possible occur at welterweight, and McGregor commented that he may contemplate chasing the title in that division whereas taking pictures at each Edwards and Muhammad.
“Leon Edwards loves a call,” McGregor lately stated. “Then he’s preventing one other choice man, your man Belal. Not nice instances within the welterweight title image.”
In response, Muhammad shrugged off McGregor’s suggestion that he would contemplate going for the welterweight title after ultimately going through Chandler sooner or later.
As a lot as he enjoys taking pictures at McGregor on social media on occasion, Muhammad doesn’t realistically imagine that’s a battle that might ever occur and it has nothing to do with disinterest from his aspect.
“Truthfully, that might be hilarious,” Muhammad stated about preventing McGregor. “It could be humorous as a result of I do know that might by no means occur. Even now.
“We’ve seen him hugging bushes, he’s only a bizarre particular person. Even in that interview, he regarded like he was strung out on stuff and he was simply calling out everyone, speaking about everyone. I feel Chandler’s going to beat him, actually. I’m going to provide Chandler that win, however you by no means know, proper? Leon will nonetheless in all probability name him out after that battle, so I’ll let each of those guys lose they usually name one another out and find yourself preventing one another for nothing.”
