‘Let him retire in peace’ — Usman knows GSP doesn’t want to fight him

Kamaru Usman is interviewed backstage at Madison Square Garden prior to his welterweight title defense against Colby Covington at UFC 268. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Kamaru Usman shuts down any talk of a potential f…


UFC 268 Press Conference
Kamaru Usman is interviewed backstage at Madison Square Garden prior to his welterweight title defense against Colby Covington at UFC 268. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Kamaru Usman shuts down any talk of a potential fight against Georges St-Pierre.

Kamaru Usman knows Georges St-Pierre doesn’t want to fight him, and he’s perfectly okay with that.

In fact, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ wants fans and reporters alike to stop comparing his legacy to St-Pierre’s and allow the welterweight great to retire in peace.

“Georges doesn’t want it,” Usman, who could eventually surpass St-Pierre as the welterweight GOAT, told MMA Junkie in a recent interview. “know he doesn’t want it, so that’s okay. I’ve let that ship sail because he’s retired. Let him retire in peace, eat and drink, do whatever he wants”.

Usman knows St-Pierre’s legacy will forever ‘haunt the [welterweight] division’ because ‘Rush’ never actually lost his title, but Usman is focused on forging his own legacy.

“Georges is the shadow that haunts the division,” he said. “Well, did. Not anymore. When Tyron Woodley was champ, he haunted the division. When Robbie Lawler was champ, Georges haunted the division, because everyone knew the champ never lost his belt and he was just kind of floating out there, still training – you could tell he was still working out, and he was just kind of out there.”

Usman, 34, most recently fought at UFC 268 at Madison Square Garden in New York where he defeated Colby Covington via unanimous decision.

The reigning welterweight champion and current pound-for-pound No. 1 is on a monstrous nineteen-fight win streak and is considered by many to be one of the greatest UFC champions of all time.