Muhammad ‘might have to fight Usman’ if they keep chirping

Daniel Cormier thinks Belal Muhammad and Kamaru Usman’s trash speak might result in them combating.

Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) dethroned Leon Edwards to turn into welterweight champion at UFC 304 in July. He has since welcomed Shavkat Rakhmonov as a possible first title protection, and has traded barbs with former champion Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC).

Nevertheless, contemplating that Usman has dropped three straight, a title shot is probably going a troublesome promote. Not in Cormier’s thoughts although, as the previous UFC dual-champion pointed to previous examples the place dangerous blood resulted in unwarranted title alternatives.

“That is a kind of conditions the place Belal Muhammad is doing precisely what you’d count on from new champions, however you’ve bought to watch out except that’s precisely what you need,” Cormier stated on his YouTube channel. “Both he needs to battle Kamaru Usman, or he’s simply chirping as a result of by doing what he’s doing proper now, he might should battle Kamaru Usman, as a result of whenever you deliver a champion again into play, who at this level, isn’t actually in competition due to the fights with Leon, and Khamzat (Chimaev). You deliver him again into play, the powers that be begin going, ‘Properly, he did go as much as 185 on 10 days’ discover to save lots of a card and fought the man that’s in a No. 1 contender match. Very shut, and if it was a five-round battle, many individuals thought he was going to win. Possibly he does deserve an opportunity to battle this man.’

“We’ve seen many fights and rivalries constructed on the truth that the fellows don’t like one another. We’ve seen many fighters get title pictures that a lot of you consider have been undeserved, based mostly on the truth that the champion, they didn’t like. We’ve seen individuals like Alex Pereira, who has gone onto turn into the person, get a title battle in two UFC fights as a result of he had a historical past with Israel Adesanya. It’s not rocket science. Once you deliver a person’s identify into play like that, particularly a person that carries a variety of status, that has cache, a person that will get individuals to point out as much as the world, you’ve bought to watch out as a result of if that’s not what you really need, chances are you’ll find yourself getting that battle.”

Usman’s three losses got here twice in title fights in opposition to Edwards, then a short-notice middleweight battle in opposition to Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023.