With his one sided win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, Islam Makhachev is now the new welterweight champion. The 170 pound division is hotter than it’s been in years, full to the brim with new young
challengers hungry to get their shot at gold.
But before that can happen, Makhachev wants to fight an old guard legend in Kamaru Usman.
Usman was welterweight champion from 2019 to 2022, but he’s 1-3 over the past four years. Is a competitive loss to now-middleweight champ Khamzat Chimaev two years ago and a win over Joaquin Buckley in June enough to put him at the front of the contender’s line? If Makhachev has his way, it will.
“Today’s two fighters did very, very well, Morales and Prates,” Makhachev admitted following UFC 322. “But I still think Kamaru Usman can beat both. And Kamaru is the biggest [fight]. Yeah, young fighters are hungry, but Kamaru is still dangerous and one of the best in this game.”
“If you give me the choice and ask me who I want to fight, I will take Kamaru. But it’s not my job. Anyone, I will be ready.”
Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz was asked about a fight with Usman, and he’s all in as well — and not just because he’d be double dipping on manager’s fees for a major UFC title fight.
“[Islam] said it. He said he wants to fight Kamaru Usman,” Abdelaziz said. “Usman is 15 fight winning streak, five title defenses, greatest welterweight of all time. Beating all these young guys, what does that do for [Islam’s] legacy, it don’t do nothing for his legacy.”
“Kamaru Usman is a very tough opponent and I represent him too, and it’s not an easy night for anybody. Kamaru is the real deal. And [Islam] wants to fight the real deal.”
If the field wasn’t crowded with so many red hot contenders, we’d say Makhachev and Abdelaziz’s logic makes sense. But we’re getting sick of seeing older names sitting on the sidelines getting the nod while the most dangerous fighters aren’t rewarded for actually fighting.
If Usman can supposedly beat Morales or Prates, let’s see it. And let that decide whether he gets that shot at Islam Makhachev.
