“We hear you, fans…” Kamaru Usman sets conditions for release of controversial Belal Muhammad podcast footage
Kamaru Usman sets terms for elusive Belal Muhammad footage and it depends on his championship status after UFC 310 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Kamaru Usman sets conditions for elusive Belal Muhammad podcast footage (Source: X)
It’s the year 2030… There’s flying cars and AI MMA scoring. Jon Jones fought Francis Ngannou and Tom Aspinall. GTA 6 is out, and EA Sports UFC 5 has realistic facecards. Conor McGregor has sobered up, and all’s well in the futuristic, dashing new world. There’s just one wrinkle: UFC 310 title fighter Belal Muhammad’s footage from Shadowlion’s “Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman & Henry Cejudo” podcast isn’t out yet. Fret not; host Kamaru Usman has a solution.
Muhammad recently revealed on his own podcast that an appearance on Usman and Henry Cejudo’s “Pound 4 Pound” show went awry. He “broke Usman down verbally” before Usman “tried to get physical.” Usman is holding out for the release of his interview with Muhammad. That is, as long as the UFC champion holds up his end of the bargain. The conditions are that he has to win against Shavkat Rakhmonov.
The UFC 310 pay-per-view (PPV) event caps off the 2024 pay-per-view schedule with a title shot for Rakhmonov. The undefeated Kazakh, Muhammad, and Usman have been engaging in a devil’s love triangle for the belt. Usman, 37, even called dibs on his first defense after UFC 304 and got into some social media banter. ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ says that there are plans for the release of the footage. But only if Muhammad still holds the belt after UFC 310.
Usman (20-4-0) has lost three straight—including a pair of title fight losses. Then, he dropped a short-notice 185-pound challenge against Khamzat Chimaev. However, Muhammad had first veered to the Team ONX Sports welterweight due to his legacy defense of the 170-pound belt five consecutive times. Now that ‘Nomad’ faces him next, it has Usman intrigued—and also ready to face the winner.
Kamaru Usman still has eye out for the gold
MMA Fighting for SBN’s Damon Martin recently spoke to Muhammad. Often disregarded as a slow decision machine, the Team Valle Flow Striking champion is on the offensive now. Belal Muhammad even reveled in getting a rise out of Usman in his own podcast. That seems to be going around a lot these days, with the former 170-pound and top UFC pound-for-pound king catching strays.
However, Kamaru Usman wants all the heat and dough. While some are virally against it, Usman is a prize fighter for whoever comes out the winner at UFC 310 (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+) on December 14th. As far as Muhammad is concerned, he still looks forward; he wants that fight as well.
Regardless of the podcast controversy, and notwithstanding the fact he likes riling it up in the build-up, he wants it too. Muhammad told MMA Fighting that Usman is a former champ, and he hopes he goes back into the equation soon. With a few wins or even a major one, Usman can reinsert himself in the apex of upper echelons. As such, his return could be one for the ages.
Dibaas.M
(1285 Articles Published)