Kamaru Usman couldn’t contain his laughter when reacting to security stopping Belal Muhammad at UFC 310.
Welterweight champion Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) tried to enter the octagon Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to face off with co-main event winner Shavkat Rakhmonov, but was momentarily stopped by the security before he was let in.
Joe Rogan joked that security didn’t know Muhammad was the champion before ultimately being brought in for a faceoff with expected next challenger Rakhmonov, and Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) thought it was hysterical.
“What are we doing when even the security working the UFC event don’t know you are a UFC champion? Oh my God,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “I remember when I saw it too, I was like, ‘Yo, Joe Rogan had to vouch for you to get you to come through security.’
“Did you hear what Joe Rogan said? ‘Oh, he’s the champ, let him in.’ I know Joe didn’t even mean it in a negative way. I mean obviously Joe is a comedian, it’s just natural timing and delivery. He just hit the mark, and that’s what I found really, really funny.”
Usman’s reaction shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The former champion and Muhammad have recently been trading barbs, and Muhammad fired back.
“How is the podcast called pound4pound if he’s not even ranked.”
How is the podcast called ppund4pound if he’s not even ranked
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 9, 2024
“Isn’t that the guy I made cry on his own podcast.”
Isn’t that the guy I made cry on his own podcast
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 9, 2024
Muhammad was scheduled to make his first title defense against Rakhmonov at UFC 310, but a bone infection in his toe forced him out of the bout. Rakhmonov faced Ian Machado Garry instead, defeating him by unanimous decision to further cement his No. 1 contender spot.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 310.
