Belal Muhammad blasts Colby Covington’s trash talk after RAF win

Belal Muhammad’s latest win has drawn fresh heat from Colby Covington, who dismissed the American’s performance as unworthy of their upcoming RAF crossover cruiserweight title clash.

On 18 June at RAF 11 in Chicago, Muhammad outlasted Ben Askren in a five-minute war that ended only when Askren’s body shut down. Covington, meanwhile, claimed the inaugural RAF crossover cruiserweight belt by beating Arman Tsarukyan in the main event. Hours later, RAF CEO Chad Bronstein confirmed Covington will defend against Muhammad at RAF 12 on 12 August: a co-main event for the promotion’s one-year anniversary card.

What did Colby Covington say about Belal Muhammad?

Covington tore into Muhammad’s showing on The Ariel Helwani Show, calling his win over Askren a fluke tied to Askren’s health issues. “He looked awful,” Covington said. “It took Askren’s body shutting down in the fifth for him to even get points. He was losing until the last minute because Askren’s body gave out.”

The champ added he expects an easy wrestling matchup. “Against me he has no shot. I’ll beat him in under 90 seconds, I’ll tech fall him,” Covington said. “But he’ll try some cheap shots: throw a kick, throw a cheap punch. Do I want to put up with that? It’s unprofessional.”

Why the tension matters for Belal Muhammad

Muhammad’s victory over Askren: a comeback story after Askren’s long layoff: overshadowed the result in the press room. Both men clashed in a post-fight press conference, trading barbs until officials stepped in to separate them. Sources said Muhammad landed a kick on Covington during the scuffle.

For Muhammad, the drama ratchets up stakes for his first RAF title shot. The American, a former collegiate wrestler himself, has built a reputation for gritty decisions. His camp frames the Covington fight as a chance to prove his skills against elite talent outside the UFC.

What’s next for both fighters?

Covington, unbeaten since joining RAF, will defend his belt against Muhammad in a card headlined by RAF’s one-year milestone. The promotion bills the bout as a clash of styles: Covington’s collegiate wrestling pedigree versus Muhammad’s cage savvy.

RAF 12 is set for 12 August at the same Chicago venue. Tickets and pay-per-view details are expected this week. Covington’s camp insists he’s ready to silence critics who tagged him as an underdog against Tsarukyan. Muhammad’s team counters that the trash talk only fuels their fire ahead of the August showdown.