Kamaru Usman had one of many extra dominant runs for a champion lately.
Outdoors of his wars with Colby Covington, Usman was largely unmatched in non-competitive affairs all through his 5 profitable title defenses because the UFC welterweight king. Even when he ultimately dropped the title to his previous foe Leon Edwards, Usman was cruising to one more dominant win.
Clearly, one flawlessly delivered kick was all it took to vary that as Edwards related cleanly with one minute left of their rematch to change into “and new.” Usman, 36, has misplaced twice extra since that Edwards encounter at UFC 278 in August 2022. After that, Usman was taken to a short-notice debut at middleweight vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 this previous October, the place he misplaced a aggressive three-round majority resolution. In hindsight, it makes one surprise if Usman might have gained gold at 185 kilos, and had that division’s champion been completely different, we’d have came upon.
“No, it doesn’t sting,” Usman mentioned on his new Pound 4 Pound podcast about by no means turning into a two-division champion. “It stings that I didn’t change into double champion nevertheless it doesn’t sting that I didn’t go up and struggle Israel. I simply genuinely, and I stand by it, I simply genuinely had no want to be the potential purpose why Israel [Adesanya] — one other Nigerian — was not a UFC champion. I simply didn’t need to. I had little interest in that.
“To not say I used to be gonna beat him up or no matter however I simply had little interest in being the explanation why there doubtlessly was not one other Nigerian UFC champion. Had it been Sean Strickland, 1000 p.c I used to be transferring up (laughs).”
Since Usman reigned over the welterweight division, Adesanya dropped his title to Alex Pereira that very same yr however finally reclaimed it a couple of months later at UFC 287 in April 2023. It wasn’t till this previous September when Strickland shocked the world and upset “The Final Stylebender” with a medical unanimous resolution title win in Australia.
Of Strickland’s six profession losses (28-6), Usman was his second when the 2 met at UFC 210 in April 2017. As soon as a welterweight prospect, Strickland misplaced the bout through a unanimous resolution earlier than discovering his footing up in weight three years later.
Usman meant no disrespect to his now-fellow former champion Strickland. It was simply extra of a friendly-personal sort of state of affairs amid his welterweight title reign that stopped the historical past pursuit.
“I believe Sean Strickland has positively improved, he’s powerful,” Usman mentioned. “He’s excellent. He’s come into his personal and he’s very relaxed in who he’s as a fighter now. He is aware of who he’s.
“Folks don’t notice how tough Sean Strickland is to struggle. Think about you’re in a fist struggle and this f****** dude is standing proper in entrance of you. Straight up and down. Him and Jorge Masvidal, two of essentially the most tough folks to struggle as a result of they’re standing straight up and down proper there. Who stands like that within the blended martial arts struggle when there’s the potential you will be taken down? He simply stands there like this and he does this bizarre factor the place he simply places his fingers up and you may’t hit his face (laughs).”
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Haney vs. Garcia Face-Off and Pre-Battle Presser.
UFC 299 trailer.
Traditional, certainly.
Full struggle.
Malykhin transforms.
Bisping on MMA idiots.
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Competitors anxiousness.
Virtually time for violence.
Anyplace.
Durinho.
Throwback.
Good.
Throwback.
Oh boy.
Me vs Suga. Who needs to see it ?
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) March 1, 2024
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Stylistically, Adesanya vs. Usman would have been fairly fascinating. At their finest, it’s a troublesome choose however I might need to lean towards Adesanya due to the dimensions and size benefits. Ever so barely, although.
Glad Friday, everybody. Have an excellent weekend. Thanks for studying!
Ballot
Would Kamaru Usman have overwhelmed Israel Adesanya had he tried to change into a two-division champion?
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