“I’m guaranteed a title fight and the only person in the welterweight division who doesn’t have a fight scheduled is Kamaru Usman, but a fight with him doesn’t make much sense to me unless I get paid like a champion,” MMAJunkie quoted Muhammad as saying. “The thing is, Usman is a tougher opponent than Colby or Leon, and beating him doesn’t get me anything.”
“My record is better than Kamaru Usman’s. My resume can only be compared to George St. Pierre’s record. I won’t get a championship belt by beating Kamaru, but if I have wins over Usman, Gilbert Burns, Vanderboegh, Luka, undefeated Shawn Brady on my record, I will be considered the greatest fighter in the welterweight division even without a title fight.”
Whether his fight against Usman is scheduled or not, Muhammad plans to prepare for UFC 296 as a backup for the title fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, which headlines the Dec. 16 numbered show.
“They always have a replacement contestant lately, and if they want me to do it, I’ll do it. The main thing is that they remember to pay for it. Anyway, I don’t need to be an official stand-in to know that I’m next in line for a title fight.”