Colby Covington: Belal Muhammad 'squatting on his ranking,' doesn't deserve UFC title fight

Colby Covington has turned his attention to Belal Muhammad.

After months of back-and-forth, Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) says the “ship has sailed” on a potential Ian Machado Garry fight. The former multiple-time title challenger now wants Muhammad next.

“I would like Belal,” Covington told Submission Radio. He’s talked a lot of smack. I want that racist to catch a fade. ‘Remember the Racist’ – he’s out there saying that I only got my title shot ‘because of white privilege.'”

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

Covington thinks Muhammad isn’t worthy of the shot.

“Now he’s squatting on his ranking,” Covington said. “Guys, he should have to come out and fight. I think we should fight. I think that’s the fight that should be next. He doesn’t deserve a title fight, guys.

“How long has he sat out? He sat up for over a year. He’s squatting on his ranking. That’s not right, guys. He’s squatting. He doesn’t deserve it. What does he deserve? What has he done lately? When was his last fight?”

Covington sees Muhammad as a good stylistic matchup for him, one where he’d have the advantage everywhere.

“I see myself KO-ing him,” Covington said. “It’s just an easy fight. He can’t strike with me, and I’ll show the world that he’s just one-dimensional. He’s not going to out-wrestle me. He won’t take me down one time. If he tries to take me down, he’ll get submitted so fast. His takedowns are so average at best.

“And his striking, it’s so bad. I mean, you couldn’t put away a one-arm Gilbert Burns. Like, come on, dude. The guy was on one shoulder. He had one arm, and you couldn’t put that guy away. That’s pretty sad and pathetic. So I think I KO the guy and I think that it’s a pretty easy fight. If the UFC wants to give me that easy fight, that’s the fight I want.”