Podcast Scuffle

Tempers can flare when fighters find themselves in close proximity, particularly in the same weight class. This was evident during an interaction between Kamaru Usman and Belal Muhammad, an encounter that escalated into a regrettable physical confrontation.

Muhammad, the reigning UFC welterweight champion at the time, joined Usman and Henry Cejudo on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast; however, the episode never made it to the airwaves. Usman noted that a discussion about their championship statuses deteriorated into an exchange neither fighter anticipated.

“When you become a champion, it validates a lot of things for you that maybe only you were able to see at one point,” Usman expressed in an interview. “That’s what it did for him. In that process, I think he was doing and saying a couple of things that were a bit distasteful for me.”

The altercation erupted during their attempt to resolve their differences. Usman elaborated:

“Unfortunately, it didn’t go as I think either of us would have liked, at least on my part.”

Cejudo later shared his account of the incident on another podcast, describing how the confrontation became physical, with substantial effort required to separate them:

“There were about a good eight people there, and four were trying to get on Belal, but hands were thrown. Slaps were given.”

Muhammad reflected on how the conversation shifted into personal territory, emphasizing:

“Usman was like, ‘I was the champ, too.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, but you’re not the champ anymore.’ He just couldn’t let it go.”

While Usman had been keen to resolve their issues within the professional arena, any potential match became moot when Muhammad ultimately lost his title.

“It’s unfortunate that he lost the title because that would have been a great fight between me and Muhammad,” Usman mentioned, “It is what it is. We move on.”

Video Commentary

For more insights, check out the full interview with Kamaru Usman below:

Watch the interview