The world of UFC never sleeps, and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is wide awake after the UFC 304 upset. Fresh off a string of setbacks, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is plotting his comeback. His eyes are set on the welterweight belt that he had lost to Leon Edwards. But now, he plans to take it back, this time from Belal Muhammad.
Usman’s journey has been a rollercoaster ride of epic proportions. Once the undisputed king of the welterweight division, he now finds himself on the outside looking in. The former welterweight king is now ready to climb back to the top of the mountain.
“End of the year, top of the next year I’ll go in there and take my welterweight strap back, 100 percent. But, if you’re trying to satisfy everybody looking at the landscape of everything…In order to do that, get him someone on the top. That could be Shavkat Rakhmonov, or it could be JDM,” said Usman via Pound 4 Pound podcast.
The landscape has shifted dramatically since Usman’s reign. Muhammad now wears the gold belt that once adorned Usman’s waist. His goal is simple, and that is to reclaim the welterweight strap and prove he is still the best. It’s a tall order, but Usman’s confidence remains unshaken.
Usman is coming off three back-to-back losses, two of which were against the former champion Leon Edwards. His last fight was at UFC 294, where he fought Khamzat Chimaev as a middleweight. However, he lost the fight via a majority decision. Almost ten months without fighting might have given him some perspective, and he is now hungrier than ever about reclaiming what he lost.
Kamaru Usman Analyzes Belal Muhammad’s Win Over Leon Edwards
MMA is a sport that never fails to surprise, and UFC 304 was no exception. Former welterweight champion Usman had a front-row seat to the action, watching the divisional belt that he once owned being handed to Muhammad. Nevertheless, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare,’ known for his analytical mind, shared his thoughts on the main event between Muhammad and Edwards.
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‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ didn’t hold back in his assessment of the bout. He broke down the fight with the precision. Furthermore, Usman’s history with Edwards adds an intriguing layer to his commentary. The two have faced off three times, with Edwards winning their last two encounters.
“Now, when you fight a guy like myself and a guy like Belal Muhammad that can change levels on you, hey, this is what you’re going to get. We’re going to change levels, we’re going to wrap our arms around your legs, and we’re going to take you down every time…This was textbook,” Usman said on his Pound 4 Pound podcast.
Kamaru Usman’s breakdown serves as a reminder of his enduring relevance in the division. Even without the belt, his fight IQ remains a formidable weapon. His voice carries significant weight, with or without the belt. Will he be able to reclaim his lost gold again? That’s a question which will be answered over time.
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