Kamaru Usman has ‘nothing to gain’ fighting a ‘dork’ like Belal Muhammad — ‘I’m not here to waste time’

Kamaru Usman wants another crack at the 170-pound title.

On paper, the fastest route to the division crown is through the No. 1 contender, which happens to be former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.

Usman is currently sitting in the No. 5 slot and views Muhammad as a “waste of time” and insists there is “nothing to gain” by settling their longstanding feud.

“We didn’t have a lot of back-and-forth, it was just a lot coming from him,” Usman said of Muhammad at Friday’s Q&A in Abu Dhabi (via MMA Junkie). “I just think he’s a dork, and what you do with a dork is just ignore them. This is the thing, for someone like myself and Belal Muhammad, right now Belal Muhammad is ranked No. 1 in the division, and I’m below him. I’m looking at the title. I’ve been where he hasn’t been.”

Maybe Usman can fight this returning contender instead.

“Yes of course he’s been the champion, but what happened when it was time for you to defend? I have nothing to gain from fighting Belal Muhammad,” Usman continued. “He has all to gain. That’s why he’s calling me out. He has all to gain from me. I’m not here to waste time. I want to get the title, and I want to continue on my track of defending and be that champion again. Why waste time with him? If I have the title, and he’s the next guy, I would luckily kick his head in.”

That’s assuming it’s still something “people want to see.”

Muhammad (24-4, 1 NC) isn’t available regardless of ”The Nigerian Nightmare’s” motivation, having already been paired off against No. 6-ranked Ian Garry for the UFC Qatar event next month in Doha. As for Usman (21-4), he’s remained inactive since his unanimous decision victory over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta last June.