“MMA back then is different”- Ali Abdelaziz reveals why Kamaru Usman pips George’s St-Pierre as the welterweight GOAT
Kamaru Usman(L), Ali Abdelaziz(C), Georges St-Pierre(R)
The UFC welterweight division has always been stacked with talent and has had phenomenal fighters graze the octagon but one name tops the division, and that is none other than Georges St-Pierre.
However, Ali Abdelaziz believes if anyone was to be considered the greatest fighter in the welterweight division, it would be the current pound-for-pound champion, Kamaru Usman.
For a little longer than a decade, Georges St-Pierre sat atop as the literal welterweight G.O.A.T as he was able to close out his career with 13 consecutive wins and nine defenses of his welterweight title. But ever since the recent rise of Kamaru Usman as the champion and his current battering of all the opponents that he has faced, he may just top the list of the best welterweight fighters, and his manager Ali Abdelaziz seems to think so.
The founder of Dominance MMA Management was recently at the sets of Eagle FC 44 which will be making its UFC debut in the USA and was asked for an interview with MMA Junkie‘s Danny Segura who asked him about Khabib’s MMA promotion and many other queries.
While speaking about Kamaru Usman, Abdelaziz was asked if he believed that his athlete could be mentioned as the greatest welterweight instead of Georges St-Pierre to which he more than just agreed.
“Kamaru’s knocking people out left and right. You know George, you know he doesn’t have this many finishes as Kamaru does right. And he did not fought the people that Kamaru, the level of competition Kamaru fought. And there’s no knock-on George and MMA back then is different.”
Ali Abdelaziz speaks on whether Kamaru Usman will be as active as he was in 2021
Ali Abdelaziz was at Miami for the upcoming US debut of Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s Eagle Fighting Championship which will be showcasing their 44th event.
He was present for an interview with MMA Junkie speaking on many topics while also being asked of Kamaru Usman‘s next objective and about whether he could be debated as the greatest welterweight fighter instead of GSP to which he replied, “Listen, I like GSP. GSP is a great, great fighter, great human being, a friend of mine, great champion but look at the strength of the schedule, look at the competition Kamaru has beaten, you know. George never beaten a guy like that.”
“George never been busy like that. George never uh, Kamaru’s knocking people out left and right. You know George, you know he doesn’t have this many finishes as Kamaru does right. And he did not fought the people that Kamaru, the level of competition Kamaru fought. And there’s no knock-on George and MMA back then is different. Now guys are a lot more stronger, faster, more technically sound. It’s a different era.”
He was then asked whether ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ would continue to progress as he did the last year where Usman made three title defenses to which Abdelaziz said that Usman likes three things. Money, competition, and whoop people’s ass and that’s what he would like to do in 2022.
Usman has been confirmed to fight Leon Edwards next which considering the last time may turn out to be light work for the champion again.
Nimish Ganapathy
(135 Articles Published)