Kamaru Usman Heads For Blockbuster UFC Clash With McGregor

Nigeria’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman could be heading for an explosive blockbuster fight with mixed martial arts (MMA) ace, Conor McGregor before this year runs out.

Megasportsarena.com reports that this is sequel to an outburst from the former undefeated UFC icon, who once stepped into basic boxing and lost against Floyd Mayweather, but is now talking about stepping out of retirement in order to battle Usman.

This means ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ could be heading for his biggest fight yet in the UFC’s Octagon, though it will come against an icon whose recent resume critics argue hardly makes him worthy of a title shot.

Nonetheless, the former UFC two-division champion is boasting about making a return and insists he has what it takes to floor the like of Usman, or any other reigning star that stands in his way.

To buttress his ambition, McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) talked in strong terms about returning for a lightweight title shot, though his only division win was when he dethroned then-UFC champion, Eddie Alvarez in November 2016.

Outside of that, McGregor was pummeled by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier twice at 155 pounds but his tune has changed, having recovered from a broken leg he suffered last July.

That happened in a doctor-stoppage TKO loss to Poirier, but McGregor is back to training twice a day, lifting weights and not cutting calories, as he aims to bulk up to his natural state.

On paper, a McGregor title shot – in any weight class – doesn’t make sense as he’s lost three of his past four fights.

Extend that further to 2016, and McGregor is 3-4 in past seven fights, UFC president, Dana White shut the door on a McGregor title shot at lightweight upon his return.

Whether or not White feels the same about welterweight isn’t known, but McGregor made it clear he won’t have it any other way.

Aside from liking his chances against Usman, McGregor expressed a strong desire to make UFC history once again.

When he knocked out Alvarez at UFC 205, then McGregor (who was then featherweight champ) became the first simultaneous two-division title holder in the promotion’s history.

No UFC fighter ever has won championships across three divisions, something McGregor wants to achieve.

Along the line, his target has shifted from lightweight champ, Charles Oliveira (or Justin Gaethje should he win at UFC 274) to Usman, who is still expected to defend his belt in a rematch with Leon Edwards this summer.

McGregor told The Mac Life: “It’s about finding out which weight now. I just don’t really see myself going back to 155 again.

“I believe myself vs. Usman for the 170-pound title for my comeback fight is the one I’m eyeballing at the minute.

“I’ve gotten myself down to a lightweight frame, but I’m big now. I feel big, I feel strong, I feel healthy, I’ve got good energy.

“Coming back after a gruesome injury, I do not want to deplete myself. There’s no need to deplete myself.

“I feel confident against Usman – a jab-happy, sloppy orthodox wrestler with no submissions whatsoever.

“What’s he gonna do? Where’s the danger here? I don’t see a danger with him.

“The world will talk again (about) the triple crown. No one’s ever obtained three knockouts in three weight divisions moving up like I have already.

“But no one’s ever obtained three UFC world titles across three divisions like I will do also if we make this fight.

“There’s history to be made. The game is to be shook up again. The triple crown has never been done. It’ll never be done in my lifetime.

“No one will do this in my lifetime. When I knock Kamaru Usman out at 170, that’ll be three UFC world titles won moving upward with three knockouts.

“I knocked out (Jose) Aldo, I knocked out Alvarez, and I’ll knock out Kamaru Usman.

“Three knockouts, three world titles, three weights going up. Enough is enough with the disrespect that comes my way.

“People are gonna give me my respect for the many facets of my game, fighting style and everything else.

“I’m gonna waltz back in to a title shot. Make no mistake about it. It’s that, or I won’t (fight). It has to be a title shot. What else can it f*cking be?”