Belal Muhammad fires back at Colby Covington's criticism of UFC title win: 'You'll never touch the gold'

Belal Muhammad hopes Colby Covington can prove himself and earn another shot to fight for the UFC welterweight title. But he doesn’t see it happening.

After Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) took the 170-pound strap from Leon Edwards in the UFC 304 headliner this past month, three-time title challenger Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) came out and criticized the performance. “Chaos” said he would do everything in his power to secure a showdown with the new champ, but doesn’t expect Muhammad to hang on to the title for long.

Muhammad naturally disagrees with that take and plans to have a long reign. He is amused by Covington’s sudden fixation on fighting him after being ignored for years in the run-up to capturing the championship, and although he would love to silence one of UFC’s most outspoken athletes in the octagon, he struggles to see a scenario where Covington can lock up a fourth crack at gold.

“He’s a joke,” Muhammad told MMA Junkie. “What is he, 0-3 in title fights? All I needed was one time to do it. You’ll never touch the gold. You’ll never be who I am. Just keep talking, brother. You said keep that same energy when I see you. Please. I beg you. Let me see. I beg you. Let me see you in public, because unless he actually fights other guys, he’s not going to get another shot.

“I hope he goes on a good run and beats some of these contenders and figures a way out to fight me in the cage. But all you’ve got to do is find me at a steakhouse and we’ll see if you keep that same energy.”

With Covington rightfully not on Muhammad’s list of short-term targets, the new champion said he’s looking to get back in the cage for his first title defense this year, and sees undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov or former champ Kamaru Usman as possible candidates.