Former undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman admits he’s still open to the possibility of fighting fellow former Octagon gold holder, Conor McGregor in the future – potentially in a championship outing to boot.
Usman, the current #1 ranked welterweight contender, most recently headlined UFC 286 back in March in championship trilogy rubber match against arch-rival, Leon Edwards, suffering a majority decision loss to the Birmingham native.
As for McGregor, the former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion has been sidelined himself since headlining UFC 264 back in July 2021, fracturing his left tibia and fibula in a doctor’s stoppage TKO loss against former interim gold holder, Dustin Poirier.
Expected to make his Octagon return before the close of this year, McGregor has been earmarked to compete on The Ultimate Fighter 31 against Michael Chandler in a welterweight return, however, an official date or event for the bout has yet to be determined at the time of publication.
Kamaru Usman also offered to fight the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev next
Sharing plans on his fighting future this week, Usman confirmed that he wanted to land a rather timely return, and even offered to fight the current #3 ranked division contender, the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev next.
However, as for a potential pairing with fellow former gold holder, McGregor, Usman appears still willing to face the Dubliner under the UFC banner.
“And a crazy one, Conor (McGregor) has always said he wanted a third title,” Kamaru Usman told ESPN MMA reporter, Brett Okamoto during a recent interview. “When I was champion, you cant’ just waltz up, skip everybody and fight for the belt. You have to show some legitimacy. What’s better legitimacy than fighting the number one guy in the division.”
Prior to Kamaru Usman’s title loss against Edwards and his path to a welterweight affair with Chandler, Crumlin striker, McGregor had set sights on the Auchi native, claiming he would become the first ‘triple-crown’ victor in UFC antiquity, adding welterweight gold to prior lightweight and featherweight success.