Tag: Kamaru Usman

Ian Garry Doesn’t Hold Back On ‘Weak-Minded’ Kamaru Usman: ‘When It Matters Between The Legs, He’s A Little Man’ 

It seems there’s no love lost between UFC welterweight contenders Ian Garry and Kamaru Usman. The former champion and undefeated Irishman were among four names apparently offered the spot opposite Shavkat Rakhmonov at this weekend’s UFC 310 pay-per-view following the withdrawal of Belal Muhammad. It was ultimately the latter who accepted, swapping his headline spot […]

It seems there’s no love lost between UFC welterweight contenders Ian Garry and Kamaru Usman.

The former champion and undefeated Irishman were among four names apparently offered the spot opposite Shavkat Rakhmonov at this weekend’s UFC 310 pay-per-view following the withdrawal of Belal Muhammad.

It was ultimately the latter who accepted, swapping his headline spot at next Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Tampa to co-headline the final numbered event of 2024 in a title eliminator at 170 pounds.

Among others — Colby Covington and Carlos Prates, according to Rakhmonov — Garry has benefited from Usman choosing against sharing the cage with “Nomad” inside T-Mobile Arena this week.

During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Garry discussed Usman’s rejection of the short-notice assignment against Rakhmonov this weekend, which the Kazakh star says he initially accepted.

The Irishman went as far as to call Usman “weak-minded,” theorizing that he’ll now push for a showdown with Jack Della Maddalena in 2025 given his weakness in the grappling department.

“Usman has a big chest and little balls,” Garry said. “He looks good and plays the part, but when it matters between the legs, he’s a little man. That’s my outlook on it. … Him and Colby are older, been through the division, fought these guys. Now they’re getting to the end of their careers and they want to choose the better stylistic matchups. But I guarantee this: Usman is going to try to push for a fight with Jack Della Maddalena because he’s seen how easily Gilbert Burns was able to take him down.

“If I was in Usman’s shoes, why would I wanna fight the guy that’s long, rangey, difficult to deal with, when I can fight a guy who I watched two people back-to-back be able to take him down quite easily?” Garry continued. “I guarantee you Usman is going to try to push for the JDM fight, because he’s weak-minded.”

Usman has been the subject of similar criticism from some corners of the fanbase, and he took to his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Henry Cejudo this week to hit back at those questioning his decision not to fight Rakhmonov on short notice.

Kamaru Usman Addresses Backlash For Skipping Short-Notice Shavkat Rakhmonov Fight At UFC 310

Kamaru Usman isn’t holding back against the online criticism after choosing to pass on a short-notice clash with Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Rakhmonov was originally slated to challenge reigning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the headlining bout of the UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las […]

Kamaru Usman isn’t holding back against the online criticism after choosing to pass on a short-notice clash with Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.

Rakhmonov was originally slated to challenge reigning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in the headlining bout of the UFC’s final pay-per-view of the year on Dec. 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, the highly anticipated clash was derailed when Muhammad was sidelined by a bone infection in his foot, leaving “Nomad” without an opponent for the big night.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” initially showed interest in stepping up for a last-minute showdown with Rakhmonov, even hinting that he was gearing up in case the opportunity came his way. However, the former UFC welterweight champion later reconsidered, admitting that the date would come too soon for him to be adequately prepared for such a high-stakes clash.

As a result, Ian Garry seized the opportunity to step in and face Rakhmonov, relinquishing his previously scheduled main event spot against Joaquin Buckley at the UFC Fight Night in Tampa on Dec. 14.

This decision sparked a wave of criticism aimed at Usman, with many accusing him of avoiding the undefeated Kazakh.

During a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound Podcast, Usman fired back at the fan backlash over his decision. The 37-year-old Nigerian-born American expressed his frustration, stating that fans were quick to judge without fully understanding the circumstances.

“I’m seeing people online going, ‘Oh, you’re scared, you ducked him,’” Usman said. “When people who are your fans or fans of a fighter don’t get their desired wish, ‘That’s the fight I want,’ then it’s like, ‘Oh no, that guy must be scared because he didn’t take the fight.’ Like, guys, shut up.

“World champion, defending belts time and time again, oh, he’s scared? Yeah, shut up. Just because you didn’t get what you wanted — guess what? It’s like your mom telling you, ‘No, you can’t have that toy today.’ You know, you can’t have that toy, so shut your mouth.”

Usman was last seen in action at UFC 294 in October 2023, where he suffered a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight bout.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” is currently navigating the toughest stretch of his career, having lost his 170-pound title to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022. Since that defeat, he has struggled, posting an 0-2 record in his past two Octagon outings.

Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

When Belal Muhammed announced that he had withdrawn from the first defense of his welterweight title at UFC 310, a lot of fight fans quickly came to the same conclusion. In the hopes of keeping Shavkat Rakhmonov on the card, a replacement opponent would need to be found for what would likely be an interim […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310 at MMA News.

When Belal Muhammed announced that he had withdrawn from the first defense of his welterweight title at UFC 310, a lot of fight fans quickly came to the same conclusion. In the hopes of keeping Shavkat Rakhmonov on the card, a replacement opponent would need to be found for what would likely be an interim title fight.

Rakhmonov pushed for this and like many people online, he wanted to face the former champion of the division in Kamaru Usman. “The Nigerian Nightmare” may be winless in his last three but his reign as the welterweight champion still gives him lots of pedigree at 170-pounds.

The fight got everyone excited for December 7 but it unfortunately doesn’t look like we will get to see this match-up take place in Las Vegas. Usman spoke about the fight during a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Henry Cejudo.

He said that fighting the undefeated Rakhmonov is something that greatly interests him but without giving away any clear reason why, he said that stepping inside the Octagon in just a few weeks doesn’t look like it’ll be an option for him. This leaves very few options for potential replacements meaning that the UFC’s final PPV card of 2024 could be down to one title fight as Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight belt against the debuting Kai Asakura.

“To be honest, it’s a fight that I’ve looked at and it’s definitely a very, very winnable fight and I know that I can, of all people, go out there and expose what hasn’t been exposed in a young, hungry, streaky guy in Shavkat Rakhmonov. He’s very talented, he’s very good but I do see the holes and I think that I can exploit that when that time is right but December 7 might be a little too early for that time.”

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310 at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman Discusses Fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov On Short Notice At UFC 310: ‘The UFC Knows Who To Call’

Kamaru Usman seems ready to step up on short notice to face Shavkat Rakhmonov and keep the UFC 310 main event intact. The headliner for the final UFC pay-per-view event between reigning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and Rakhmonov was called off last month after “Remember the Name” disclosed he had to pull out due to […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Discusses Fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov On Short Notice At UFC 310: ‘The UFC Knows Who To Call’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman seems ready to step up on short notice to face Shavkat Rakhmonov and keep the UFC 310 main event intact.

The headliner for the final UFC pay-per-view event between reigning welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and Rakhmonov was called off last month after “Remember the Name” disclosed he had to pull out due to a bone infection in his foot.

Since then, “Nomad” has voiced his desire to remain on the card, even campaigning for an interim title showdown, ideally against former longtime champion Usman. Rakhmonov’s manager, Sayat Abdrakhmanov, confirmed that the UFC is currently in talks and has proposed “The Nigerian Nightmare” as a possible opponent for the matchup.

During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman discussed the possibility of stepping in on just a month’s notice to face Rakhmonov at UFC 310. He stated that the UFC would reach out to a fighter primed to challenge the undefeated Kazakhstani, and should the promotion come calling, he would unquestionably accept.

“I’m still in that gym, you know,” Usman said. “If the UFC is going to call who they think is going to be legit tough enough and man enough to step in there on this crazy enough to step in there on short notice and go out there and possibly shock the world, definitely the UFC knows who to call when that situation happens. And if they do give me a call, I’m going to answer the call. We get a couple of things straight, and if we have to do it, I don’t shy away from any of that.”

“The Nigerian Nightmare” is no stranger to stepping in on short notice to face undefeated fighters. Usman took on the challenge of fighting Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023 with less than two weeks’ notice, ultimately suffering a majority decision loss.

Usman is currently enduring the most challenging phase of his career, having lost his 170-pound title to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022. Since then, he has gone 0-2 in his last two Octagon appearances.

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Discusses Fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov On Short Notice At UFC 310: ‘The UFC Knows Who To Call’ at MMA News.

UFC 310: Former Champion Kamaru Usman looks to take on Shavkat Rakhmonov with obscure call out

UFC 310: Former Champion Kamaru Usman looks to take on Shavkat Rakhmonov with obscure call outIs Kamaru Usman’s cryptic post on social media signaling his long-awaited return to the Octagon? It’s been over a…

UFC 310: Former Champion Kamaru Usman looks to take on Shavkat Rakhmonov with obscure call out

Is Kamaru Usman’s cryptic post on social media signaling his long-awaited return to the Octagon?

It’s been over a year since we saw ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ suffer a third straight loss against unbeaten Chechen monster Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting news of his next fight. While we haven’t quite gotten that just yet, Usman shared a rather curious post on X that could signify a return to action at UFC 310 on December 7.

Kamaru Usman

Earlier this week, it was announced that welterweight champion Belal Muhammad would no longer defend his bantamweight championship at the final pay-per-view of the year after suffering a gnarly bone infection in his foot.

Once the news became official, fighters started coming out of the woodwork looking to step in and square off with Muhammad’s previously scheduled opponent, Shavkat Rakhmonov, in what could end up being an interim title opportunity.

Kamaru Usman likely to get the nod over other fighters vying for an interim title shot

Top 10 ranked contenders Ian Machado Garry and Joaquin Buckley both threw their hats into the ring, hoping they’d be able to capitalize on Muhammad’s bad luck and parlay their active win streaks into a shot at UFC gold.

Unfortunately for both of them, Kamaru Usman is also interested in that spot, and given his status as a former champion and the division’s No. 2 ranked contender, it’s far more likely we’ll see the Nigerian get the nod over a couple of still-rising stars.

Kamaru Usman

Before his recent string of losses, Kamaru Usman had won 21 straight fights dating back to 2013. Along the way, he captured the 170-pound title and successfully defended it five times against Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns.

gettyimages 1232509645 612x612 1

Kamaru Usman Dismisses BMF Title as ‘Hypothetical,’ Claims It Originated Due to Him

Kamaru Usman Dismisses BMF Title as ‘Hypothetical,’ Claims It Originated Due to HimKamaru Usman credits himself for the creation of the BMF title. First introduced in 2019, the BMF title was…

Kamaru Usman Dismisses BMF Title as ‘Hypothetical,’ Claims It Originated Due to Him

Kamaru Usman credits himself for the creation of the BMF title.

First introduced in 2019, the BMF title was a makeshift bragging rights belt developed to determine who the “baddest motherf*cker” truly was between Octagon fan favorites Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz during their UFC 244 headliner in Madison Square Garden.

BMF

Since then, the BMF title has taken on a life of its own and has seen multiple holders, including Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway, but according to former welterweight world champion Kamaru Usman, he’s the one responsible for the creation of the fictitious title.

”Why are we talking about this like this is a real title? It’s not,” Usman said on the Pound-4-Pound podcast. “This was a hypothetical that was made up because of me. Let’s not forget that myself and Covington were supposed to fight in MSG in New York. The fight didn’t happen… They needed a fight to headline that card. They needed something with some steam. It’s MSG. You can’t just put any fight card at MSG.

“So, at that point, what’s the hottest ticket out there? Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal… Of course, you have Nate Diaz… Dana jumps on, ‘How do we promote this fight? Let’s create this, alright, it’s called the baddest motherf’er belt…’ Come on. Are you serious? That’s why it started” (h/t Sportskeeda).

No BMF Titleholder has ever won a fight inside the Octagon

After claiming the BMF belt against Diaz, ‘Gamebred’ never once defended the crown, nor did he win a single fight. Masvidal ultimately walked away from the UFC in 2023 amid a four-fight losing skid, vacating the BMF title in the process.

The title was reintroduced at UFC 291 when Justin Gaethje rematched Dustin Poirier in one of the most anticipated fights of the summer. ‘The Highlight’ ended up making a highlight out of Poirier, scoring a brutal second-round head-kick KO to take home the belt.

BMF

In April 2024, Gaethje became the first fighter to defend the title when he met former featherweight king Max Holloway at UFC 300. ‘Blessed’ landed a buzzer-beating KO to win the bout and the belt.

BMF

Holloway has not yet defended the BMF title, but he recently suffered his first career loss by knockout against reigning 145-pound champion Ilia Topuria at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

Interestingly, BMF titleholders are 0-6 inside the Octagon after winning the belt. Perhaps becoming the UFC’s designated “baddest motherf*cker” isn’t such a good thing after all.