Colby Covington: Belal Muhammad 'squatting on his rating,' doesn't deserve UFC title combat

Colby Covington has turned his consideration to Belal Muhammad.

After months of back-and-forth, Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) says the “ship has sailed” on a possible Ian Machado Garry combat. The previous multiple-time title challenger now desires Muhammad subsequent.

“I would love Belal,” Covington informed Submission Radio. He’s talked quite a lot of smack. I would like that racist to catch a fade. ‘Keep in mind the Racist’ – he’s on the market saying that I solely obtained my title shot ‘due to white privilege.’”

Muhammad (23-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) has been calling out Covington for years, however is now touted to be welterweight champion Leon Edwards subsequent title challenger. Muhammad is on a 10-fight unbeaten streak – most just lately defeating Gilbert Burns at UFC 288 in Might 2023.

Covington thinks Muhammad isn’t worthy of the shot.

“Now he’s squatting on his rating,” Covington mentioned. “Guys, he ought to have to return out and combat. I feel we must always combat. I feel that’s the combat that ought to be subsequent. He doesn’t deserve a title combat, guys.

“How lengthy has he sat out? He sat up for over a yr. He’s squatting on his rating. That’s not proper, guys. He’s squatting. He doesn’t deserve it. What does he deserve? What has he finished currently? When was his final combat?”

Covington sees Muhammad as stylistic matchup for him, one the place he’d have the benefit in every single place.

“I see myself KO-ing him,” Covington mentioned. “It’s simply a simple combat. He can’t strike with me, and I’ll present the world that he’s simply one-dimensional. He’s not going to out-wrestle me. He received’t take me down one time. If he tries to take me down, he’ll get submitted so quick. His takedowns are so common at finest.

“And his hanging, it’s so unhealthy. I imply, you couldn’t put away a one-arm Gilbert Burns. Like, come on, dude. The man was on one shoulder. He had one arm, and also you couldn’t put that man away. That’s fairly unhappy and pathetic. So I feel I KO the man and I feel that it’s a fairly straightforward combat. If the UFC desires to present me that straightforward combat, that’s the combat I would like.”