Kamaru Usman believes a successful move up two divisions will secure the GOAT status for him.
Reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has proved to be a dominant force at the top of the food chain having dispatched the top contenders in his division twice. Company president Dana White had stated that Usman was lapping past the division with no clear challenge for him.
Usman had indicated his desire to go up two weight classes and be double-champ, and it looks like his conviction hasn’t changed.
Kamaru Usman eyeing GOAT status with a move to 205 lb
In an interview with ESPN MMA, “The Nigerian Nightmare” revealed that he’s eyeing GOAT status with a move up to light heavyweight.
When asked about whether he talked to Israel Adesanya about moving up a weight class so he could inject himself into the middleweight division, Usman said that he didn’t ask him but the thought did cross his mind.
“No but I did wonder that the first time, when he went up to challenge Jan Blachowicz. That did come to my mind, ‘oh, if he goes up and vacates that belt, then yeah it’s time for me to move up,’ and go ahead and grab that belt.”
“I will skip that, I will go to 205 lbs and I will grab that belt.”
Then, Usman asked interviewer Brett Okamoto what he would make of the 170 lb king moving up two divisions and getting a belt. Okamoto responded that people are already comparing him to all-time greats like Georges St-Pierre, and Khabib Nurmagomedov, and being a champion in a weight class 35 lbs heavier would solidify his status as the greatest of all time.
To this, the reigning UFC welterweight champion said that that’s all he wants and that he wouldn’t need to take time off to make the move.
“That’s all I want, that’s all I need.”
Usman talks about whether Alex Volkanovski is the p4p #1
Alex Volkanovski has been enjoying an incredible run that seems to get more and more dominant with each fight. Many have touted him as the pound-for-pound champion above the official honcho Usman.
According to Usman, Volkanovski has achieved great things in the sport but doesn’t beat him in the rankings.
“These guys are phenomenal guys. When you’re looking at pound-for-pound, you’re looking at that list. The top three guys should be that close, should be interchangeable, you should be able to say, ‘ah man, this guy did this, this guy did that.'”
“Alexander Volkanovski, he’s surprising me each and every time. I just see this little guy, I’m like, ‘this little guy can’t be that good.’ Then he gets some fights and I’m like holy crap, that guy is freaking good.”
“(Making you fight my fight) is what I think I do better than anybody right now. I don’t care what plan you have, I don’t care what you say you’re going to do… I think the world has to just realize that right now I am the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet.”
Former 205 lbs title holder Jan Blachowicz was recently snapped squaring off with Usman. It’s unclear when Usman is looking to make a move up but it could be after his upcoming bout with Leon Edwards.
