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Kamaru Usman laments failed UFC middleweight title fight with Sean Strickland: ‘1,000% I was moving up’

Former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman has claimed he never had the intentions nor interest in fighting fellow African-born…

Former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman has claimed he never had the intentions nor interest in fighting fellow African-born star, Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title during their respective title reigns, however, stressed he laments not challenging Sean Strickland following his September coronation.

Usman, the current number one ranked welterweight contender and former pound-for-pound leader under the promotion’s banner, has been sidelined since making a 185lbs debut back in October of last year in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Suffering his third consecutive loss, however, Auchi native, Usman dropped a close, majority decision loss to unbeaten challenger, Khamzat Chimaev in the pair’s short-notice title-eliminator in the Middle East.

And weighing up the option of a potential stay at the middleweight limit, Usman received a recent call out from former undisputed title chaser, Paulo Costa, who claimed he may have the ability to finish the Nigerian.

Kamaru Usman talks failed middleweight title run

Reflecting on his dominant run as welterweight titleholder, Usman claimed he never had interest in challenging compatriot, Adesanya, however, would have jumped at the chance to fight former titleholder, Strickland for gold.

“It stings that I didn’t become double-champion,” Kamaru Usman told Henry Cejudo during an appearance on Pound 4 Pound. “But, it doesn’t sting that I didn’t go up and fight Israel (Adesanya). I just genuinely – and I stand by that – I just genuinely had no desire to be the reason why – or the potential reason why Israel – another Nigerian, was not a UFC champion.”

“I had no interest in that,” Kamaru Usman explained. “I’m not just saying I was gonna beat him up or whatever, but I just had no interest being the reason why the UFC didn’t have another Nigerian champion. But, had it been Sean Strickland – 1,000% I was moving up.”

Usman and Strickland first fought back in 2017, with the former landing a one-sided unanimous decision win in their UFC 210 showdown.

Who do you want to see ex-champion, Kamaru Usman fight next?

Islam Makhachev backed to retire in ‘Couple more years’ amid plans for UFC 299 fight with Justin Gaethje

Daniel Corimer envisions an early retirement for former teammate, Islam Makhachev. Makhachev successfully followed in close friend ~Khabib Nurmagomedov’s…

Daniel Corimer envisions an early retirement for former teammate, Islam Makhachev.

Makhachev successfully followed in close friend ~Khabib Nurmagomedov’s footsteps when he won the UFC lightweight title by defeating Charles Oliviera at UFC 280 in October of last year. However, it seems that Makhachev may be headed for an early retirement, much like Nurmagomedov.

The 32-year-old most recently stopped Alexander Volkaonvski, putting to bed their chapter after the Australian pushed Islam Makhachev to the very brink in their first fight at UFC 284. Volkanovski stepped in on late notice, filling in for Oliveira who withdrew due to a cut at UFC 294 in October.

While it seems that Islam Makhachev – Charles Oliveira II would be rebooked, Makhachev instead seems set on taking on a fresh opponent, Justin Gaethje.

Daniel Cormier predicts Islam Makhachev will retire soon.

Discussing the situation on his YouTube channel, Cormier thinks that Makhachev is seeking new matchups as he wants to add more names to his resume before hanging up the gloves.

“That immediately makes you think,” Daniel Cormier said. “Is Islam saying that he doesn’t want rematches because it’s Tsaruykan? Because before, it seemed like it was all systems go for Charles Oliveira. But again, we hadn’t heard from Islam. We don’t know if that’s how Islam’s been feeling. ‘I don’t really want to do rematches’,” Cormier discussed.

This is where I think we’re messing up, when we watch that video. We’re missing why Islam said he doesn’t want rematches, and why I think he’s right. If I’m being honest… When the reporter followed up with ‘Islam, can you see yourself doing this until you’re 40?’, Islam said ‘40? No. Maybe a couple of more years’. That’s why I think it’s right.”

Makhachev is currently not expected to return to the cage until at least March 2024, no opponent has been announced.

Do you agree with Daniel Cormier?

Khamzat Chimaev set for surgery amid hand injury, promises dominant UFC return: ‘Come back, smash somebody’

Despite initial optimism how undefeated middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev may avoid surgery to address a ligament injury in his…

Despite initial optimism how undefeated middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev may avoid surgery to address a ligament injury in his hand following his decision win over former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 back in October, the Chechen-born contender is slated to go under the knife in the coming weeks.

Chimaev, the current number eight ranked middleweight contender, co-headlined UFC 294 earlier this year in Abu Dhabi, UAE, landing a close, majority decision win over former pound-for-pound number one, Usman over the course of three rounds.

And revealing how he had suffered an injury to his hand during the opening round of his close back-and-forth with Auchi native, Usman at UFC 294, Khamzat Chimaev’s manager revealed his client would wear a supportive brace on his hand in the aftermath, however, would likely escape a surgical procedure to address the injury.

Khamzat Chimaev confirms surgery to address hand injury

Two months on, however, Chimaev himself has confirmed he is set to go under the knife in two weeks time to address his hand injury. And as usual, has predicted a dominant showcase in his return to the Octagon.

“I’m gonna do a surgery, operation, in one-two weeks,” Khamzat Chimaev said during an Instagram Live session. “After that, do the recovery, come back, smash somebody.”

Missing out on an immediate title fight with the incumbent Sean Strickland, who fights Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January, Chimaev should be nowhere near a championship clash according to the Clovis native.

“(Khamzat) Chimaev, he doesn’t f*cking deserve it,” Sean Strickland said. “We all know that. The only reason why Chimaev gets that shot is because he sells a lot of tickets. That’s it. At the end of the day, man. I’m happy with Dricus (du Plessis). It’s gonna be a hell of a fight, and I’m just happy the UFC is doing the right thing.”

“He’s next in line, he f*cking deserves it,” Sean Strickland explained. “They’ve been doing a lot of f*ckery lately with rankings and bullsh*t. Just f*cking wrong, man. We need to go back to a professional sport where rankings matter because as of now, rankings mean f*ck-all sh*t.”

Chimaev recently also received an interesting offer to make a light heavyweight debut in his return to the UFC, by former titleholder, Jiri Prochazka, who urged him to make another divisional leap.

Who would you like to see Khamzat Chimaev fight in his UFC return?

Dustin Poirier reveals he accepted offer to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 294, promotion stopped responding to him

Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has confirmed he accepted an offer to fight undisputed division titleholder, Islam Makhachev…

Former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier has confirmed he accepted an offer to fight undisputed division titleholder, Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last month – before the promotion eventually stopped responding to his messages, and then booked featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski into the bout.

Poirier, a former interim lightweight champion and the current number three ranked divisional contender, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 291 back in July of last year, suffering a massive second round high-kick knockout loss to fellow former interim champion, Justin Gaethje in the pair’s symbolic BMF championship rematch.

Prior to that, Poirier, who won interim lightweight gold in a 2019 rematch with former featherweight gold holder, Max Holloway, submitted Michael Chandler with a third round rear-naked choke in November of last year in Madison Square Garden.

Dustin Poirier discusses UFC 294 draft in against Islam Makhachev

And appearing to offer his services at a UFC 300 card next year, Lafayette native, Poirier has revealed the details surrounding a potential short-notice title fight with Makhachev last month, claiming he agreed to fight the Russian, before promotional Chief Business Officer, Hunter Campbell stopped responding to his messages.

UFC 300

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) November 6, 2023

“That’s exactly accurate,” Dustin Poirier told MMA Fighting during a recent interview. “I think it was 12 days, 11 days before the event. The thing is, dude, I just landed, I have a condo in South Florida, and the day they [the UFC] called me, I had just landed maybe two-and-a-half hours in Florida before the call to check on my condo. I stayed there for maybe five days to get some training in with the team there because I haven’t seen them in a while.”

“… My phone rings, I see it’s Hunter (Campbell), and I’m all jacked up on Celsius,” Dustin Poirier explained. “I answer the phone, let’s go. I said, ‘What perfect timing, this is how life works.’ I just landed in Florida, my whole team is here, my coaches are in town, this happened for a reason. He asked me my weight, and I [told him] I can make the weight in 11 days, no problem. I thought that was it. He told me give him one day.”

“The next day, I didn’t hear back,” Dustin Poirier explained. “I’m like, ‘Hey, bro, I said yes, let’s go I got my team here, let’s book these flights, I need to get out there ASAP.’ Then he kept quiet for a while, and then all the news started breaking. But he didn’t tell me, ‘Hey, you’re the guy.’ He asked me if I would do it, I said yes, he told me to give him one day, and I guess he was waiting on Alexander (Volkanovski) to commit.”

Would you like to see Dustin Poirier fight Islam Makhachev in the future?

Robert Whittaker apologizes for underplaying Islam Makhachev’s run: ‘I’m sorry for that, but not really to you guys’

Robert Whittaker wasn’t a fan of Alexander Volkanovski’s performance at UFC 294 but now wants to clarify some of…

Robert Whittaker wasn’t a fan of Alexander Volkanovski’s performance at UFC 294 but now wants to clarify some of the statements he made.

Volkanovski stepped in on less than two weeks notice to face Islam Makhachev on behalf of an injured Charles Oliveira. Despite how close the first fight was, the second fight wasn’t even close.

Things didn’t look too one-sided; until they did. Makhachev would land a picture-perfect head kick shortly into the first round, and that would spell night-night for the legendary Aussie. The kick and ensuing hammer fists by Makhachev would leave Alexander Volkanovski stranded on a different dimensional plane. A cosmic traveler in a different realm. In short, the fight was over as soon as the kick landed. It was a legendary moment for MMA fans to witness, and although it truly burned to see such a guy as Volkanovski have that happen to him: it was also a truly career-defining moment for Islam Makhachev.

Robert Whittaker was very vocal about the fight. Some fans believed he was too critical of Volkanovski, and also didn’t give Makhachev nearly enough credit for his terrific finish of a true legend like ‘Volk’.

Robert Whittaker clarifies his opinion on the Volkanovski and Makhachev fight

“I just want to address it,” Whittaker began on his podcast (H/T MMA News). “I’m sorry if I underplayed Makhachev’s achievements in beating Volk the way he did. That was not what I intended to do even if that’s how I made it sound. I’m sorry for that, but not really to you guys, to him because I don’t want him seeing it and feeling like that.”

“Well, I am a little bit to you guys,” He continued. “Now, I spoke to Johnny [his co-host] after the episode and was like ‘Hey Johnny, was I too harsh on Volk?’ because I thought I was a bit harsh on Volk, to be honest.”

“But, you guys just made me well aware that I was not too harsh on Volk, that I was going down with him on my shield as well,” Robert Whittaker clarified.

“I do not take anything away from the way Makhachev did to take on the newcomer,” Whittaker maintained. “To take on a guy that gave him such a hard time in his first fight, to have such performance, to adapt to the changing opponents. To do what he did that night, unbelievable.”

What is your opinion on the way Robert Whittaker handled the Alexander Volkanovski loss?

Justin Gaethje picked to stop Islam Makhachev in UFC title fight: ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he knocked him out’

Continually staking his claim for an undisputed UFC lightweight title fight with Islam Makahchev following the Russian’s dominant victory…

Continually staking his claim for an undisputed UFC lightweight title fight with Islam Makahchev following the Russian’s dominant victory last month in Abu Dhabi, former interim titleholder, Justin Gaethje has been backed to even knock out the defending champion by mixed martial arts head coach, Tim Welch, if he lands the fight.

Gaethje, a former interim lightweight champion under the banner of the UFC, most recently landed the symbolic BMF title back in July in the main event of UFC 291, landing a second round high-kick KO win over fellow former interim champion, Dustin Poirier in the pair’s rematch.

As for Makhachev, the incumbent lightweight champion defended his crown back in October atop UFC 294 in the Middle East, landing a first round high-kick knockout win of his own in a short-notice rematch with undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski.

Maintaining he would likely sit out for over a year in order to secure a fresh title fight with Makhachev – whom is expected to fight former champion, Charles Oliveira in a rematch next year, Gaethje questioned who else he should fight to earn his title affair.

“Who do I fight?” Justin Gaethje asked. “There’s no one. I did what I had to do. I don’t know what else I need to do.”

“If they [the UFC] want to put (Charles) Oliveira in there, then I fight him (Islam Makhachev) in September,” Justin Gaethje explained. “I have no issues waiting. Again, as I get older, I get to understand from now until the time I’m gonna fight him I’m gonna be building strength. I’m gonna be working on my cardio, I’m gonna be refining my skills. So, I’ll have as much time as they give me and I’ll be that much more ready.”

Justin Gaethje picked to potentially KO Islam Makhachev in title fight

However, as per the above-mentioned, Welch, head coach to undisputed bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley – Gaethje could actually have the kryptonite to defeat Makhachev, potentially by knockout to boot.

“Everyone thinks Justin Gaethje would get ran through,” Welch said on his podcast with O’Malley. “I don’t think he would, dude – because they talk about Gaethje, when he fought Khabib (Nurmagoemdov), he got there [Abu Dhabi] 10 days before that fight and just everything was wrong.”

“Gaethje’s a different dude – Khabib said he knew that Justin got there [late], and he’s through that time travel multiple ties. He knew that was just gonna ruin him. This Gaethje now, versus Islam in Vegas or something. I wouldn’t be that surprised if Gaethje knocked him out.” (H/T MMA News)

Do you want to see Justin Gaethje challenge Islam Makhachev next year?