Daniel Cormier wants Belal Muhammad, if not Kamaru Usman, to get the next title shot against Leon Edwards  

Kamaru Usman is keen on settling his rivalry with Leon Edwards, with a trilogy fight on the recently announced UFC 286 card in London next year. However, Daniel Cormier named another worthy contender in 170-pound who deserves an opportunity to fight for the title.

Cormier believes that No.4-ranked welterweight contender Belal Muhammad has earned his shot at the welterweight throne should Usman not get an immediate rematch against Edwards.

Leon Edwards dethroned long-reigning welterweight champion Kamaru Usman to become the second UFC champion from the UK. The promotion is working towards bringing the blockbuster trilogy fight between the two combatants to fruition at UFC 286 which will take place on March 18, 2023, at The O₂ Arena in London.

Speaking about fighters who should definitely feature on the UFC 286 card in a recent episode of the DC & RC show on ESPN MMA, Cormier stressed that Belal Muhammad deserves the opportunity to fight for the welterweight gold should Kamaru Usman lose out on it:

"I tap in on Leon Edwards having to be a part of the main event. I also tap in on [the fact that] Paddy Pimblett has to be on that card. There are only two musts for the London card. But honestly, I would like Belal Muhammad to get his opportunity. If it ain't going to be Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad is the guy who should be fighting for the belt."

After getting back on track with a win over Kevin Holland at UFC Orlando, Stephen Thompson made headlines by saying he's aiming for a title shot next. 'Wonderboy' stated that Kamaru Usman is potentially out of the UFC 286 event with an injury, and that the promotion is working on finding a replacement opponent for Edwards.

With that in mind, a case for Muhammad to fight for the title can be made, considering that he is currently riding a nine-fight unbeaten streak. The welterweight contender has collected signature victories over veterans like Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia and surging contenders like Sean Brady in the process.

Catch Cormier's comments (51:00) below:

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Belal Muhammad presents his case for the next title shot ahead of Kamaru Usman

Belal Muhammad believes that Kamaru Usman isn't eligible for an immediate rematch against Leon Edwards. Muhammad added that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' should take some time away from the sport to fully recover from the knockout loss to 'Rocky' earlier this year.

Muhammad has racked up a solid record over the past few years, but there has been no major discussion about him challenging for the championship yet.

In a video aimed at Kamaru Usman, Belal Muhammad sought the next shot at the championship. Muhammad juxtaposed 'The Nigerian Nightmare's' immediate rematch negotiations with teams who lost the finals of the Super Bowl, stating:

"There's no rematches once you lose the SuperBowl. You lose the SuperBowl, you lost the SuperBowl, that's it. If you lost on a hail mary pass, that's it, you're going to have to wait until the next year. You've got to go through a whole other season to try and get back there again. So, Usman, sit down a little bit, relax, heal up, [and] let me fight Leon."

Check out Muhammad's live fan interaction below: