UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman’s road to recovery from hand surgery has hit a reported roadblock.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported on Tuesday following a conversation with Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, that Usman is out indefinitely with his injured hand.
Usman underwent surgery to repair a hand ligament earlier this year, with an initial targeted return set for International Fight Week in July. Now, it’s unclear as to when the UFC’s pound-for-pound king will make a full recovery and work his way back to the Octagon.
Usman’s last fight was in a rematch against Colby Covington at UFC 268 last November, as he earned a unanimous decision victory. This capped off a calendar year that featured knockouts over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal.
Usman is expected to face Leon Edwards for his next welterweight title defense. An official booking for the fight hasn’t taken place and the latest update regarding Usman’s hand seems to point to that as the reasoning for the delay.
Usman has also teased a potential crossover fight against boxing world champion Canelo Álvarez. Both sides have alluded to interest in eventually making the fight come to fruition.
It’s unclear if the UFC will wait it out for the planned Usman vs. Edwards matchup, or if they will book an interim title fight featuring Edwards and another top contender. If they decide to go the interim route, a possible matchup with either Khamzat Chimaev or Colby Covington could make sense.
What is your reaction to the update regarding Kamaru Usman’s injured hand?
Continue Reading Grim Update Provided On Kamaru Usman’s Hand Recovery at MMA News.