Belal Muhammad isn’t wasting time licking his wounds. After falling short in a title defense against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, most fighters would hit the brakes. But not ‘Remember The Name’. Instead, he’s revving up and raring to get back to the grind again. But who stands in his way?

Not just any contender, but an old grudge. Former UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman. Still, there’s a twist. Before Muhammad can get his shot at settling scores, Usman needs to clear his own path, starting with Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta. So, when does Muhammad see himself getting back to doing what he does best? Let’s find out!

Belal Muhammad sets his crosshairs on Kamaru Usman after podcast feud

According to a recent post on Instagram by Verdict MMA, Belal Muhammad was quoted as stating, “I feel like it will be me vs Kamaru Usman next if he gets past Buckley. I’d like to return in October.” The comments originated from his Remember The Show podcast, where he also shared, “I’m one fight away from winning the belt… [I’m not gonna wait for a rematch] I wanna show you guys that I’m still the best in the world.”

So, where did the ‘feud’ between Muhammad and Usman start? The tension between the pair traces back to an explosive off-camera clash. During an episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, hosted by ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ and Henry Cejudo, things spiraled fast. Although that particular episode was never aired, Muhammad later told the story of what went down.

During a conversation on the Full Send podcast, Muhammad revealed that it all started because Cejudo asked him how it felt to be the welterweight champion. The same crown that Usman once wore. The former champion then stated, “And I said, well, it feels good right now, because everybody wants to listen to you, everyone thinks you’re the champ.”

That seemingly rubbed Usman the wrong way. His response? According to Muhammad, “Usman went ‘I was the champ, too’. And I said, ‘Yeah, but you’re not the champ anymore. ’ And then he just couldn’t let it go.”

From there, things nearly came to blows. “He was like ‘I don’t play these games, man, it’s on sight’. On sight? We’re right in front of each other.”’ Fans may have never gotten the footage. But the feud? Very real.

Now, fate has thrown in a new variable, Joaquin Buckley. A wrecking ball with knockout power and a point to prove, he’s currently on a 6-fight winning streak that began back in 2023 with a head kick knockout of Andre Fialho. Usman, on the other hand, is on a three-fight skid. He’s fallen to Leon Edwards twice and Khamzat Chimaev once. A loss to Buckley would paint a grim picture for ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ and his future.

It could also kill any talk of him facing Belal Muhammad next. Yet, according to Henry Cejudo, the two almost had a welterweight showdown at the podcast studio already!

Henry Cejudo breaks his silence on “slaps” handed to Muhammad during altercation with Usman

The now-infamous, unreleased episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast was set up by Ali Abdelaziz, who represented Cejudo, Usman, and Muhammad. And when ‘Triple C’ made an appearance on the JAXXON podcast, the ‘feud’ took center stage. Cejudo revealed, “I’ll be honest with you, Kamaru probably started it, but I could see why.”

Why? Because both men had thrown jabs on social media after ‘Remember the Name’ won the welterweight crown at UFC 304. Kamaru Usman wanted his belt back. Belal Muhammad wanted to prove he belonged at the top. The tension simmered for weeks. And on that day, it boiled over.

As mentioned above, Usman reportedly stated it’s “on sight,” and that’s what kicked off the melee. As Cejudo explained, “There was about a good eight people there and four [were] trying to get on Belal, but hands were thrown. Slaps were given.”  Where was ‘Triple C’ when all of this was happening?  He confessed, “I was in the middle I had a f—  sprained ankle, I was trying to [get in the middle], the whole production crew started coming in.”

And it happened in front of cameras, though the world hasn’t seen the footage yet. Now, Belal Muhammad vs. Kamaru Usman isn’t just a potential fight. It’s unfinished business. But before we even get to that showdown, the wild card remains: Joaquin Buckley. Will Usman survive the wrecking ball at UFC Atlanta, or will his fall from grace continue? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!