Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has lost his last three fights, but could be one win away from a title shot.
Usman (20-4) held the 170-pound championship from March 2019 until November 2021. He successfully defended the title five times before losing to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022 by a stunning head-kick knockout late in the final round.
Usman lost the rematch via unanimous decision and took a short-notice fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 295. Usman accepted the middleweight bout on nine-days notice. He came up short on the judges’ scorecards but showed that he’s still at the top of the game even on short notice.
Belal Muhammad captured the welterweight championship by defeating Edwards at UFC 304 in July. Usman lost twice to Edwards, and with him out of the way “The Nigerian Nightmare” has a path to a title fight again.
“If you really look at it, and this is no shade to him because I do respect this dude, but everything he does I do better,” Usman told the Weighing In Podcast. “Striking, I strike better, cleaner. I definitely have more power to where I could sit you down. Grappling, (I’m) more explosive.”
“It’s no shade. I like Belal, but I’m going to be truthful and honest. Everything you do, I do better, I’m better at” Usman continued.
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/kamaru-usman-insists-he-does-everything-better-than-champion-belal-muhammad
