The UFC welterweight champion and no.1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman, wants to prove that he can hang with the best in the game. Despite his next fight, a title defense at 170 pounds against Leon Edwards to headline UFC 278, being only days away, Usman is very seriously considering his chances against former light heavyweight champ Jon Jones. Usman elaborated on the plan at the pre-fight media day.
“I think any fight that I fight next is going to be a gigantic fight. I’ve already stated that I want that light heavyweight belt. For a lot of people it’s crazy but a lot of things seem crazy until it’s done.
Kamaru Usman Proposes Jon Jones Fight “If the Money’s Right”
I stated that I wanted it. After this win, [UFC President] Dana [White] and I will sit down and we’ll have a conversation.” Usman doubled down, pointing out that some may not take him seriously, but he’s far from kidding.
“You guys think that I kid when I come up here? I usually laugh when I’m kidding, but I’m not kidding. Everyone thought I was playing with the whole ‘Canelo’ situation. I wasn’t.
I really wanted that. It’s something that I wanted. It didn’t come to fruition then, who knows what the future holds but that light heavyweight belt. I’m not saying I would run through the division, don’t get me wrong, but at the top, I think I can get it done.”
Usman currently fights at 170 pounds, and a move up to the 205-pound welterweight limit – or beyond, to take on a bulked-up heavyweight Jon Jones – seems like it would require some serious weight gain. Not so, says the Nigerian Nightmare.
“I don’t need to put on no weight. People don’t understand what my death grip is like. I can get around you. I don’t care whether you’re heavyweight or 205, these understand what my strength is. I have an idea what I want to do in a fight, but I leave that up to my coaches.
I have an approach of how I want to fight those fights in my head, which usually comes out when everything else is failing in the fight, I just f****** go. However I want to fight, I’m going to fight it. I’m going to try the coaches’ way, this is what y’all dialed up, I’m going to do it but if everything is failing, f*** it, let’s just go […]
We’ve got to chill with these scenarios now. Nah, Jon is Jon, he’s big as hell, which is why he can easily make that transition to heavyweight. If the money’s right, I’ll try my luck, but Jon is great. Jon is a fantastic competitor and definitely in that conversation as the best-ever.”
Do you think Kamaru Usman can really skip a weight class and compete with UFC light heavyweights? Let us know in the comments.
