Kamaru Usman Reveals One Unchecked Box from Wishlist to Fulfill Before Retirement

UFC welterweight legend Kamaru Usman talks about his grand plans of earning the 170lbs gold back and then moving up a division to 185lbs.

Kamaru Usman Reveals One Unchecked Box from Wishlist to Fulfill Before Retirement

Kamaru Usman talks about becoming a double champion (via X)

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Before his downfall, Kamaru Usman was one of the most dominant and consistent champions in recent UFC history, impressing everyone. The veteran fighter managed to defend his welterweight gold successfully on five different occasions against some of the toughest contenders.

However, since his defeat to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 and to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 at 185lbs, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ has bounced back stronger. In his last bout, Usman faced Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta and secured a decision win.

Despite many doubts surrounding his abilities, the former 170lbs godking proved he still possesses the skills to compete with top fighters. In a recent interview on his YouTube channel, Usman openly discussed his future plans and the goals he wishes to accomplish before retirement.

At this part of my career, the dream scenario is: next fight, win the welterweight title, vacate, win the middleweight title, retire. Just, ‘Boom, boom — one, two.’ And then you’re done. You can’t top that. It’s like, what else do I want out of this?

Kamaru Usman via YouTube 

Usman is currently ranked #5 in the welterweight division and believes that he can earn another title shot soon. The veteran has also called out for a potential championship match with Jack Della Maddalena or Islam Makhachev. The Aussie is the current 170lbs champion and is scheduled to defend his belt against the Dagestani at UFC 322. 

Despite sharing a close relationship with UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman believes that fighting Makhachev would generate massive pay-per-view numbers. According to the veteran, for Della Maddalena, facing a legend like Usman in his potential next title defense would be a career-defining opportunity.

However, the welterweight division is currently stacked with several other top contenders, desperate to get their title shot.  Fighters like Sean Brady, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Garry, and Belal Muhammad are all currently competing for a welterweight title opportunity.

It will be interesting to see how long Usman needs to wait before finally getting his next championship shot. Additionally, his ongoing rivalry with the reigning middleweight champion continues to spark rumors about a potential move up a division.

Kamaru Usman critiques the middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev’s recent win

Khamzat Chimaev now stands as the undisputed ruler of the middleweight division, following his commanding victory over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319. The relentless fighter used his elite grappling to smother Du Plessis, maintaining top control for over 21 minutes. Judges unanimously awarded Chimaev the decision, and experts praised his masterful dominance against a strong, previously unbeaten champion.

Kamaru Usman remarks on Khamzat Chimaev
Kamaru Usman remarks on Khamzat Chimaev (via X)

However, many fans expressed disappointment, finding the new champion’s tactical wrestling approach less exciting than his past explosive, knockout-filled performances. Kamaru Usman also talked about this performance on his podcast and shared how Chimaev could have done better. 

Khamzat Chimaev possessed this one skill that can make you look like a middle school wrestler. That’s all that was, and even watching that, Khamzat made a lot of mistakes that I think would have got him that finish before that third round. He got to a position where it was so easy, it was almost him controlling himself. Khamzat did a phenomenal job….But the one area I think he could have had a lot of success is when he was on the back.

Kamaru Usman via Pound 4 Pound Podcast

When Usman stepped in on short notice to face Chimaev at UFC 294, fans witnessed an unexpectedly competitive and intense battle in the later rounds. Despite Chimaev’s relentless wrestling attempts, Usman showcased his resilience and world-class defense, successfully countering multiple takedowns throughout the three-round bout.

‘Borz’ later admitted that facing a veteran like Usman was extremely challenging, praising his experience and exceptional fight intelligence inside the Octagon. However, with his recurring knee issues, many now question how long Usman can continue competing effectively at the sport’s highest level.

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