Kamal Usman has developed a very intense rivalry during his UFC career, but he did not put Beral Muhammad in the same category.
Despite numerous interactions through interviews, podcasts and social media, the former UFC welterweight champion downplayed true hostility towards Muhammad as he tackles a potential battle between them. Muhammad had already mentioned his interest in the fight against Usman as he began returning to the title photo after losing to Jack Della Madarena at UFC 315, but “Nigeria Nightmare” did not return favor when dealing with the matchup on Wednesday’s UFC Atlanta Media Day.
“Now when Beral Muhammad was the champion, there was a reason to fight Beral Muhammad,” Usman said. “He had the title. Honestly, we’re not the best friends here, but I don’t want anything bad for him. He’s my Muslim brother so I don’t want anything bad for him.
“But what do you have to offer me? Are you going to give me a side effect? Do you throw a little extra cash at me? Maybe if he’s willing to do so. But who knows?
The majority of the interest in Usman facing Muhammad comes from the infamous podcast episodes they filmed together, but it did not air publicly. The hostility between them during the recording appears to have reached a hot pitch along with Usmann’s co-host Henry Sejude, who claims that “the hand was thrown and a slap was given.”
Usmann hadn’t worked on the podcast episode, but he said from the side of things he is not hostile towards Muhammad now.
After entering into a very ugly interaction with Colby Covington and sharing a rivalry with Jorge Masvidal several years ago, Usmann did not place his fracas with Muhammad on the same level.
“There was nothing bad about blood,” Usman said. “It wasn’t really the case. Looking at history, if you look at yourself and Colby Covington, Colby is Colby, but there was that story, that story, something lined up with the Berals.
“Sometimes, he was a bit annoying, but that was pretty much the case. There’s not necessarily a bad blood between me and the Beral. That’s him. I really hope for him. If I’m a champion, he’d want to fight me.
First of all, USMAN has to pass Buckley at UFC Atlanta in its first fight in nearly two years.
He returned after a long layoff, but Usman says that time was extremely beneficial to him, especially as he was able to heal some injuries.
“Just being in a place where you have the opportunity to heal your injuries, you have the opportunity to take a break,” Usman said. “Even as a champion, I was pretty active there for the ‘X’ years. So you’ll get to a place where you can breathe in and see what’s next. ”
Perhaps the biggest question surrounding his health is centered around Usman’s knees.
He doesn’t discount his past knee problems, but Usman says he was actually in a much worse place when he first joined the UFC in 2015 than he was ahead of his 19th battle with the organization in 2015.
“I’m fine. I’m fine, really, really, really,” Usman said. “It’s knees, knees, knees – it’s funny because they don’t realize that (actually) the knees got worse in my first fight in the UFC. In my first fight, I was coming straight from behind a microfracture surgery. The doctor is about eight months of recovery.
“I know it’s a running joke, everyone likes to joke about it, but I’ve beaten people’s asses with (these) knees. Whatever it is, they can say what they want.
Currently, Usman, fully healthy with two functional knees, isn’t just coming back with hope that Buckley can take over and take on someone the UFC throws at him.
Instead, Usman claims he is still chasing the championship, and he actually has rather ambitious plans for his future in the sport.
“Being 100% honest definitely means. Of course, we want to be champions. What are you doing if you don’t want to be champions?” Usman said. “Is my path so simple? I laid out the map here – after this weekend’s Buckley, I wait for the winner of Islam (Makachev) and JDM (Jack della Madelana). I believe it will be an incredible fight. Fighter planes.
“I’ll go (me and do the Dricus duplesis and if he’s the champion, if he’s the champion, if he’s the champion, if he’s the champion, if he’s the Dricus duplesis, if he’s the champion, if he’s the Dricus duplesis, if he’s the champion, I’ll go (me and Doricus duplesis. There are two belts and it’s like a long-term goal deep inside us.”