Kamaru Usman has expressed his irritation toward “stupid” fighters in the 170-pound division who suggest that “The Nigerian Nightmare” is too afraid to make a comeback. The welterweight landscape is now filled with ambitious contenders like Shakvat Rakhmonov and Jack Della Maddalena, and Usman is clearly not impressed with the chatter.
Usman specifically called out Ian Garry in his comments.
“For those of you who keep thinking I’m not fighting because I’m choosing not to fight, like all these stupid fighters running their mouths saying, ‘Oh yeah, he don’t wanna fight me,’ shut your mouth!” Usman stated during his Pound 4 Pound podcast. “No one is scared of any of you. I’ve been at the top of the division, pound-for-pound, with an iron fist spanking all of y’all for a while.”
Despite being away from the octagon, the former welterweight champion is still ranked No. 3 at 170 pounds.
“When I am healthy, I will get in there,” Usman added. “I want to fight. I can’t wait to fight to whoop one of y’all. So shut your mouth, all of you stupid welterweights, shut your mouth and wait for when I am healthy again. I’ll fight all of you, I don’t care. Just be patient, okay? Thank you. 2025 will be a great year for everybody.”
Well, almost everybody.
Usman, holding a record of 20-4, is often deemed the greatest welterweight champion in history. However, he has not fought since his loss to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice fight at UFC 294 in late 2023. The 37-year-old “Nigerian Nightmare” claims that his time away has led to significant criticism, likening his situation to that of heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones.
As of now, Usman’s return date remains unannounced.
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