Reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has seen the recent headlines right here at MMAmania.com, specifically this one claiming current 145-pound titleholder Alexander Volkanovski is the top pound-for-pound fighter in all of MMA.
The 20-1 Usman respectfully disagrees.
Not because “The Great” hasn’t been … well; great, but rather because “The Nigerian Nightmare” has been so “spectacular” and “humongous” in his recent victories over Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, among other welterweight challengers.
“(Not every) pound-for-pound fighter in the world can step in there three times in a year and put on three spectacular – not just spectacular performances, put on three humungous performances,” Usman told ESPN (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “And if you don’t believe me, you can ask the company what the numbers were for those three fights combined. So it’s not just being able to go in there and do it — not just be able to do it, do it spectacularly. And I think right now I’m the best at doing that, even though it’s a very, very slim margin. You know, I love all these guys. Volkanovski, just a great guy — love him. Izzy, as well. These are all my guys.”
Usman and Volkanovski are ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the promotion’s “official” pound-for-pound rankings. That said, the 25-1 Aussie could overtake “The Nigerian Nightmare” if he makes good on this promise to change weight classes and win a second world title.
A goal that has also been on Usman’s plate over the last few years.
Volkanovski may beat him to the punch (literally) because Usman has yet to complete his next title defense, a UFC 278 pay-per-view (PPV) headliner opposite longtime rival Leon Edwards, a five-round title fight scheduled for Aug. 20 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.