Kamaru Usman watched Islam Makhachev leave UFC 330 with the belt, the record, and another round of welterweight arguments. He also heard the whole room asking who can actually make this thing ugly for Makhachev, and Usman still thinks his name belongs right near the front of that line.
Makhachev beat Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision in Philadelphia, stretching his UFC winning streak to 17 and pushing the post-fight debate into overdrive. The champ already has challengers circling after MiddleEasy’s UFC 330 main-event coverage, while Usman is coming off the kind of stretch that made him question whether the grind was still worth it after his Dricus Du Plessis loss.
That is why the timing is spicy. Usman is not pretending the matchmaking politics are simple, and he is not acting like the younger sharks at 170 have not earned attention. He just keeps coming back to the old fight-game math. Styles make fights, and a former welterweight king with elite anti-wrestling is not exactly a warm glass of milk for Makhachev.
Speaking with Henry Cejudo on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman said he was making this same argument before Makhachev ever had to deal with Garry’s size and frame.
“Being honest with you, with all the styles that I see in the MMA mathematics, how it works out, I felt that, hey, listen, styles make fights. I’m telling you guys, I can get that done.”
Watch the full UFC 330 recap below.
Usman Still Sees The Style Problem
Usman’s case is not built on vibes alone. Makhachev’s wrestling and top control are still the machine, but Garry’s length forced him to work harder than usual. That matters because Usman, even at 39, made a Hall of Fame career out of denying takedowns, pushing pace, winning clinch battles and making opponents hate every inch of the fence.
Usman also acknowledged the part critics are going to throw right back at him. He has been inactive at welterweight, he lost badly at middleweight in July, and his recent record does not scream automatic title shot. He did not duck that part of the conversation.
“And everyone’s, ‘Oh, you don’t deserve it. You this. You’re that.’ But and listen, I get it. I get it. I understand. And I took a step back.”
That step back is exactly where the UFC has to decide how much name value still matters. Makhachev has already thrown support behind Carlos Prates getting the title shot, while Michael Morales remains one of the scarier physical matchups in the division. Those are fresh contenders with momentum. Usman is the former champion saying the style sheet is still screaming his name.
Usman said he never viewed Garry as the cleanest next option from a competitive standpoint, even though Garry had beaten Prates and walked into UFC 330 with real momentum.
“Based on my observation and what I see from these guys, I don’t think Ian… was the number one guy to get that shot.”
That will annoy Garry fans, but Usman’s broader point is easy to understand. Garry gave Makhachev problems with size, patience and long-range striking. Usman believes his own wrestling base would create a different kind of problem, one where Makhachev does not get to bank easy control time without paying a tax in the clinch.
Makhachev’s side has choices now. The champion wants a quick turnaround before Ramadan, which keeps the welterweight queue hot and gives the UFC a real matchmaking puzzle. Prates brings violence, Morales brings youth and power, and Usman brings legacy plus the most obvious stylistic argument on paper.
Whether that gets him the fight is another animal entirely. Makhachev is leaving UFC 330 with the belt and a record nobody thought would fall, while Garry is leaving with enough proof to keep barking after pushing the champion deeper than expected. Usman is leaving the podcast table with one message. If the UFC wants to see Makhachev in a true wrestling chess match at 170, he still believes he is the man for that mess.
Makhachev has said he wants to stay busy before Ramadan, and that timeline keeps every contender alert. If the promotion goes with Prates, Morales or another surging welterweight, Usman may be waiting. If it wants a former champion with a built-in style clash, Makhachev’s next title defense suddenly has a very familiar name hovering over it.
