Belal Muhammad Issues Cold Warning to ‘Coward’ Colby Covington Ahead of RAF 13

The two fighters genuinely despise each other, with years of bad blood culminating in a vicious brawl a few weeks ago at RAF 11 after “Chaos” made disparaging comments about Muhammad’s partner. 

Now, “Remember The Name” finally has the chance to settle things the old-fashioned way. But judging by what the welterweight has hinted ahead of RAF 13, he may be planning to do much more than just settle the score.

Belal Muhammad Predicts Covington Will ‘Wither’ in RAF 13 Grudge Match

RAF 13 is right around the corner. With just 48 hours to go, former UFC Welterweight Champion Muhammad is already turning up the heat ahead of his headlining grudge match with Covington, and with the event taking place at the Watsco Center at the University of Miami, right in Covington’s backyard, Muhammad appears more than comfortable walking into enemy territory.

Speaking to Mike Heck of MMA Fighting ahead of Friday’s main event, Muhammad opened up about what he expects when the two finally meet. Asked about the wrestling-heavy matchup, he didn't hold back.

“I’ve been waiting for a long time. It’s not going to be a fight, but wrestling inside the trenches, it is a fight. And when you've got a coward on one side, he’s going to wither.”

Belal Muhammad Unleashes Vicious Verbal Takedown of Covington

That was only the beginning. The Palestinian-American then turned his attention to Covington's self-proclaimed “King of Miami” status, questioning whether the former UFC contender can live up to the reputation he has built around his hometown.

“He wrestled in college, he thinks he is the king of Miami. So, he thinks it's his world. He retired from the UFC because he is afraid to get punched in the face anymore and fight tough guys, so he came here thinking that he’s going to be the new face of RAF.”

Muhammad was far from finished. If his words are anything to go by, he believes the fight will take “Chaos” somewhere he hasn't been before and leave him searching for his next move, saying, “So after I go out there and smash him, there’s nowhere else to go. He’s going to try go pickleball, or softball or something weird.”

Last year, the 38-year-old made his RAF debut at RAF 04 against David Carr, who handed the UFC veteran his first loss with a 10-0 victory, including three takedowns. Muhammad bounced back at RAF 11, where he faced Ben Askren on the mats and picked up his first win in the promotion.

What followed was perhaps the most memorable part.  Askren looked down in the dumps, but Muhammad helped him back to his feet as the crowd erupted in cheers. Coming off a life-threatening bout of lung failure, Askren had just stepped back onto the mats, and Muhammad's gesture offered a genuine moment of camaraderie between the two fighters.

However, the scene flipped on its head. Enter “Chaos,” and barely half an hour later, all hell breaks loose. Covington initially appeared to take the high road at the RAF 11 press conference, congratulating Muhammad on becoming a father. But the niceties didn't last long.

He soon turned the conversation personal, mocking Muhammad’s appearance before taking an even more pointed shot at his wife. 

"He Hid Behind the Security" - Muhammad Drops ‘Restraining Order’ Revelation on Covington

Reflecting on the incident, Muhammad later dropped another revelation that echoed something Jorge Masvidal had previously claimed during his own bitter feud with Covington, that much of the “Chaos” persona is simply a show.

Without getting too deep into the details, Muhammad suggested that the reigning RAF Cruiserweight Crossover champion had taken legal steps to keep the situation from escalating, claiming that the Miami native had a restraining order in place. 

Looking back on the chaotic evening, Muhammad said, “It was an honor to wrestle with Ben and then when you go from somebody that it's an honor to meet and work with and then to somebody you hate, you dislike and is a clown, that's just the world we live in now. When you see in person, the real side comes out. He's a coward, he hid behind the security. He's already trying to put up restraining orders on anything happening.”

Belal Muhammad's Final Words on Covington

For Muhammad, though, all of that ultimately leads back to one thing: settling the score inside the arena. He claimed there are already orders in place warning of police intervention if the situation turns physical, but insists he has no intention of letting the rivalry spill beyond the rules.

“We're getting orders like if we hit him or something like that happens, the police will be there waiting for it to happen. But at the end of the day, I'm a professional. I'm going to go out there and smash him the right way.”