By Daily Sports Nigeria on February 27, 2026

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has made a bold case for a shot at Islam Makhachev’s welterweight title, insisting he has proven he can still compete with and beat the best in the division.

Usman, nicknamed The Nigerian Nightmare, returned to winning ways at UFC Atlanta last June with a unanimous decision victory over Joaquin Buckley, ending a three-fight losing streak. Following Makhachev’s move to welterweight and subsequent title win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 last November, Usman threw his name into contention for a title shot.

Speaking on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, the 38-year-old made his intentions clear.

“There’s no secret about what I want. I think I have proven that I can still hang with these guys, I can beat these guys. I’ve proved that. I considered Buckley one of the most dangerous guys in the division. After that, everyone forgot that Buckley was that dangerous,” he said.

Makhachev himself appeared receptive to the idea in a separate interview with Red Corner MMA, describing Usman as his toughest potential welterweight challenger and dismissing other contenders as untested.

“In my opinion, Usman would steamroll through these up-and-comers. Those guys haven’t been checked yet. I think Usman would be the hardest fight for me,” the champion said.

Beyond the welterweight division, Usman has outlined an even more ambitious vision for the final phase of his career. The Nigerian has revealed he plans to retire only after winning both the welterweight and middleweight world titles, a feat that would place him alongside Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo in the exclusive club of simultaneous two-division UFC champions.

Reclaiming the welterweight belt, which he held for over three years before Leon Edwards dethroned him, is the first obstacle. A middleweight title tilt would be an even steeper climb, with Khamzat Chimaev, who beat Usman on short notice, now the dominant force at 185 pounds after defeating Dricus du Plessis. Usman, however, believes a full training camp would yield a very different result.

He has also announced his intention to stay active throughout 2026 and remains vocal about his desire to end his career on his own terms.

Source Punch Ng

Posted February 27, 2026

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