“I would actually go up and challenge for that belt it would be without Izzy being in the picture,” Kamaru Usman talks about UFC Middleweight title


“I would actually go up and challenge for that belt it would be without Izzy being in the picture,” Kamaru Usman talks about UFC Middleweight title

Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori

The UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman added one more title defense to his perfect resume by defending it against Jorge Masvidal in a rematch at UFC 261.

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After this win, Usman is evaluating the challenges that are possible for him as he intends to stay active and fight for one or two times more this year. He is aiming for a quick turnaround fight in July against Michael Chiesa or the winner of Leon Edwards vs Nate Diaz fight.

Kamaru Usman took minimal damage in the fight against Masvidal and he is ready to fight again in the upcoming months. While in the past Usman spoke about changing the weight division and going for one more belt.

But since Israel Adesanya became the UFC Middleweight champion Kamaru Usman isn’t willing to fight him at any cost. Adesanya is booked to face Marvin Vettori for his next title defense on UFC 263.

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This situation opens a possibility for Usman to move to Middleweight as if Vettori become the champion ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is willing to challenge him for the title.

In his latest interview with ESPN, Kamaru Usman says, “With the whole Marvin and Israel situation, I don’t necessarily want to think about that. I’m 100 percent behind Izzy and I think he can pull it out. I love Marvin as well but I think Izzy can pull that one out.”

“He’s done it before and I think he can and I think he will. But if there was a case to where I would actually go up and challenge for that belt it would be without Izzy being in the picture. So if Izzy’s not champ, then it’s something I could take a look at,” {H/T MMA Fighting}

Kamaru Usman prefers to give the title shot to active fighters

Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman

The former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington is next in the line for the Welterweight title shot according to the UFC president Dana White. But Usman insisted that he’ll give a title shot to active fighters as Covington only fought once against Tyron Woodley since his defeat against Usman

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Usman added, “I’m not gonna say I don’t want the fight, I want all the smoke, it doesn’t matter who it is. I want all the smoke. At the end of the day, it’s what have you done to earn this? Your claim to fame can’t be, ‘Oh, I went five rounds and then the guy broke my jaw and finished me.’”

“That can’t be your claim to fame. Masvidal went five rounds with me too. Tyron Woodley went five rounds with me. You can’t sit around and fight three fights in three years and expect to get a title shot when I just fought three times in nine months. The champion can’t be the most active guy in the division.” {H/T MMA Fighting}

Kamaru Usman continued, “I’ve been through the whole division and now I’m coming back around. So everyone sitting around and going ‘I’m next, I’m next, I’m next!’ I don’t really believe in that. Show me something. Show me some activity. Leon Edwards granted he was kind of stuck in that funky spot where he didn’t fight for two years and that set him back but look at the guy.”

“Since he fought me he’s put together an impressive resume. Putting together an eight-fight win streak or something like that. You’ve got Michael Chiesa putting together a four-fight win streak, you’ve got Vicente Luque coming back and putting on a four-fight win streak and finishing these guys, so why does he deserve this shot?” {H/T MMA Fighting}

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“Just because he went five rounds and then I broke his jaw and finished the fight? That doesn’t make sense to me.” What are your views on this whom you would like to see ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ facing next?

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