Kamaru Usman believes his most recent win should’ve eased any concerns about his standing as a top contender in the UFC welterweight and hopefully earned him the next title shot after UFC 322.
Usman, 38, appeared to be on the decline of his career following three consecutive losses to Leon Edwards twice and Khamzat Chimaev, all while dealing with questions about his health – specifically his knees – during a 20-month layoff. But then the former welterweight champion returned with an impressive performance in a unanimous decision win over top contender Joaquin Buckley this past June at UFC on ESPN 69.
With Jack Della Maddalena set to defend the 170-pound title against Islam Makhachev this Saturday in the UFC 322 main event (ESPN+ pay-per-view), Usman is excited about the prospect of what could be next.
“A lot of people had a lot of questions: ‘Can he still fight? Is he still this guy? Is he still this way?’ I hope I proved that to everyone (against Buckley),” Usman told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I have my eye on this weekend. We’ll see who comes out victorious (Della Maddalena or Makhachev). I think it’s a big fight, it’s a good fight, it’s a tough fight for both guys. I’m sitting here looking at the winner like, ‘All right, let’s run it.'”
He continued, “I’m in a position now to where I want the biggest, most challenging fights out there, because I understand that I don’t have another 20 fights left in the company. Anything could happen, so if you can get that next one and it could be that fight, then that’s what I want.”
Usman, who won and defended the title five times from 2019 to 2021, lost the title by shocking head-kick knockout to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 and has continued to hype himself as still one of the best welterweights on the planet. In his ideal scenario, Makhachev, who is more than a 2-to-1 favorite heading into UFC 322, would defeat Della Maddalena to set up what Usman believes is one of the greatest fights the UFC could make.
“I don’t think we’ve ever seen two pound-for-pound fighters step in there to go at it with contrasting styles, to where they’re both grapplers and can cancel each other out,” Usman said. “… I think that’s where my head’s at. I want that fight (with Makhachev). Let’s be honest: That’s a bigger fight. I think Jack is extremely talented, and that’s a big fight with Jack, as well, the old guard and the new guard, but I don’t think we’ve ever seen two pound-for-pound fighters go in there and fight each other.”
Whether or not Usman is a lock for the next welterweight title shot is anyone’s guess. Former champ Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry will have a chance to make their case against each other Nov. 22 at UFC Qatar. There’s also the lingering presence of lightweight champ Ilia Topuria, whom Makhachev recently said he would entertain fighting if victorious at UFC 322.
Working in Usman’s favor is his seemingly good standing with UFC CEO Dana White, who recently reiterated that Usman has overtaken Georges St-Pierre as the greatest welterweight of all time. For his part, Usman said he has not spoken with UFC brass but hopes they see things the way he does.
“It’s not that I’ve had conversations, because the UFC is gonna do what they feel is best for them. You just have to let it play out, and they’re gonna do what they feel is best for them. Hopefully that’s me,” Usman said. “‘Deserve’ is not a word that I like to use a lot. I don’t like that word. No one deserves anything. I think it’s what you’ve earned, and if the company feels that I’ve earned that shot … I’ve showed them I am still that guy. Hopefully (the win over Buckley) is enough to show them that I’m ready to go back and sit on my rightful place, which is the top of the division, and go through these guys one by one again.”
