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Ultimate Fighting Championship
Martial ArtsMixed Martial Arts

UFC: Kamaru Usman wants middleweight title – but only if Israel Adesanya vacates it

  • ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ says he would ‘rather two Africans with belts as opposed to one African with two’
  • Adesanya moves up to face light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz in UFC 259 main event

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UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. Photos: Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Andrew McNicol

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman says he would “absolutely” consider moving up and going for “champ-champ” status – but only if middleweight king and compatriot Israel Adesanya steps aside.

Fresh off his third successful title defence, a third-round TKO of former teammate Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 last weekend, “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman (18-1) has already been in talks with president Dana White about his next bout.
After retired legend Georges St-Pierre pulled his name from consideration, a Jorge Masvidal rematch appears to be the early front runner. However, 185-pound champ Adesanya’s (20-0) UFC 259 headliner against Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight belt on March 6 may alter things.

“Absolutely, absolutely. If Izzy’s willing to move up – well, he is moving up – and he’s willing to give up that 185 [pound] belt and says ‘I have nothing to do with that any more’, then absolutely would I entertain that thought [of fighting for the middleweight title],” the 33-year-old Usman told ESPN.

Both Usman and “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya are Nigerian-born and have separately expressed their pride in representing Africa. Though both are on impressive MMA career win-streaks – Usman on 17 and Adesanya still undefeated after 20 fights – fans can rule out a blockbuster bout.

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