- Kamaru Usman is open to fighting Stephen Thompson
- “The Nigerian Nightmare” lifted the lid on why his potential fight with Khamzat Chimaev isn’t happening
Kamaru Usman is now ready to return inside the Octagon and he has got his sights on Stephen Thompson. The former UFC welterweight champ is also down to fight Khamzat Chimaev but there’s something about the initial talk that prompted him to dismiss the idea.
Wonderboy makes Sense
Speaking to TMZ Sports, “The Nigerian Nightmare” admitted that he has been having trouble figuring out who to face next until he realized that “Wonderboy” has always been out there and he hasn’t really noticed it. And now that both he and Thompson are looking for a formidable opponent, Usman thinks it’s the fight that makes the most sense.
“I literally set the record I think it’s Jorge [Masvidal] and then it’s myself as far as pay-per-view sales goes in my division. I’ve done everything there is to do you know the only guy to be honest that would even make sense right now? Wonderboy. Because he needs an opponent,” Usman explained. “He’s been around so long and he’s just that name to where it’s always a great fight. He’s just one of those names that I never really got to use in my era that I never really got to fight, so I think Wonderboy, I would definitely consider that.”
Khamzat is making the fight Impossible
Usman previously called out Chimaev for using his name for clout. He accused “Borz” of refusing to make weight which prevents the fight from happening. Usman is sticking to his stance on the subject and reiterated that he’s not gonna do what Chimaev says as he is clearly the bigger star.
“I’m shooting for this year. The fall. So we’ll see. I’ve already said, ‘Hey, I’m ready to fight but the thing too is it has to make sense. Who on the planet didn’t agree that Khamzat fight made sense? It made perfect sense but you’re a guy who’s been in the UFC what two years, three years, two years now? And you fought literally how many guys? Five Guys? Five fights they have you ranked at number three you fought one ranked guy and they have you ranked at number three in my division. I’m number one and I say okay let’s fight it I’ll go down and fight you,” Usman began.
“It didn’t matter where but then you say, ‘No. I don’t want to make that weight. Come up to middleweight to fight me.’ Wait, so you want to tell me the former champion at this weight, that’s number one ranked in the world at that weight, that I need to move up to middleweight to fight you. Who are you?,” he continued.
Usman and Chimaev have been feuding lately but it appears that “The Nigerian Nightmare” is sold on the potential showdown with Thompson. It can be recalled that “Wonderboy” wasn’t able to participate in the recent UFC 291 event as the fight got canceled after his opponent Michael Pereira missed weight.
