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Belal Muhammad has jestingly revealed a weird requirement for the opponent he faces in his next UFC fight. Speaking to ESPN MMA's Marc Raimondi, Muhammad noted that his next opponent should have a 'cuh' in their name.
Over the past several months, 'Remember the Name' has been calling for fights against top-tier 170-pound fighters such as former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington, undefeated UFC welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev, and former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
The Chicago native ended up facing and beating the then-undefeated Sean Brady via second-round TKO at UFC 280 on October 22. Following his incredible performance at UFC 280, Muhammad partook in the aforementioned interview with ESPN MMA to shed light on his next move.
The 34-year-old indicated that he'd like to get a UFC welterweight title shot next or perhaps serve as the backup fighter for the trilogy matchup between UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman.
Alternatively, Muhammad insinuated that he'd be open to facing Colby 'Chaos' Covington and Khamzat Chimaev too. Additionally, he opined that Covington would probably refuse to fight him, as he believes 'Chaos' doesn't like accepting tough matchups he knows he'd lose.
Touching upon the requirement for the opponent he'll fight next, Muhammad lightheartedly stated:
"Yeah, somebody with a 'cuh' in their name -- Like Colby, Khamzat, Kamaru; anybody with a 'cuh.'"
Marc Raimondi chimed in by joking that Belal Muhammad's longtime rival Leon Edwards doesn't have a 'cuh' in his name. However, Raimondi suggested that a rematch against 'Rocky' would make sense for Muhammad. The UFC welterweight mainstay replied by saying:
"I mean, if it [the Leon Edwards rematch] happens, then yeah, for sure."
Watch Muhammad address the topic in the video below:
Belal Muhammad credits training with Khabib Nurmagomedov for his impressive win at UFC 280
Chicago's Belal Muhammad has won eight of his last nine fights, with the lone setback being a no-contest against Leon Edwards in March 2021. Their fight was waved off after 'Rocky' landed an inadvertent eye poke on Muhammad.
Many believe that the No.4-ranked UFC welterweight Muhammad could face Edwards soon, given his impressive run as of late and his spectacular stoppage victory at UFC 280.
Belal Muhammad's UFC 280 performance marked his first TKO win since September 2016. During his ESPN MMA interview, Muhammad credited training with MMA great Khabib Nurmagomedov for elevating his performance at UFC 280.
Drawing parallels between Nurmagomedov and late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, he revealed that both sports icons demand greatness from you:
"Khabib is the same way. You want to do extra for him, you want to push yourself that much harder for him."
Watch Muhammad's interview below:
Also watch Sportskeeda MMA's exclusive interview with Belal Muhammad below:
