UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is also entertaining a potential fight against Georges St-Pierre.
In a conversation with TMZ Sports ahead of his UFC 258 title fight against Gilbert Burns, Kamaru Usman talked about a possible fight against Georges St-Pierre. “The Nigerian Nightmare” was straightforward yet respectful in his callout.
“If he wants to do it, you gotta come see me. He doesn’t want that, then that’s okay. More power to him, I respect the retirement because he’s done it all. He doesn’t need to come back for no reason.”
When asked about it during the post-fight scrum after he stopped Burns in round three, Usman clarified that it isn’t about the money or the glory.
“I don’t come in and say ‘Oh, I want a big fight. I want this, I want that,’” Usman told reporters. “Of course, I would like Georges, but I don’t want Georges because of money or anything like that. Like I said, I’m a competitor. I want Georges because Georges left on top. Georges can still do it. I see him training.
“Georges can still do it. So if there’s a potential for that big fight, if Georges wants to come back, then of course. Georges can cut the line. Absolutely.”
And when asked about how he thinks the fight will go, Usman had nothing but confidence in himself.
“I love Georges. I really do. (He’s) one of the inspirations when I started watching the sport. But I’m a whole different animal nowadays. It’s a different ballgame,” he said.
“I love Georges, I think Georges is tough. I consider him (to be) one of the greatest. But a fight with me and Georges? Okay. Georges was the master of the jab, but you saw what I did with jabs.”
St-Pierre, now 39 years old, retired from professional competition in 2019. He was supposedly in talks for a super-fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, but that matchup is now “over” according to UFC president Dana White.