Kamaru Usman heard Joaquin Buckley say his title and he has a solution for the up-and-coming welterweight contender.
Following his win over Colby Covington at UFC Tampa this previous Saturday, Buckley used his post-fight interview time to name out a variety of 170-pound notables, together with Usman, Leon Edwards, and Belal Muhammad, with Usman standing out from the pack.
On his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman responded to the callout, emphasizing that he’s open to preventing Buckley and anybody else, however will probably be on his schedule.
“I really feel like the recent chick on the bar, all people desires a chunk,” Usman mentioned. “It’s virtually like nobody’s listening to what I’m saying. Nobody’s getting what I’m saying. I don’t care who it’s. Shavkat [Rakhmonov], Belal, Ian [Machado Garry], Buckley, ‘JDM’ [Jack Della Maddalena], I don’t care who it’s. One factor that I received’t do as a result of I’ve completed it for thus lengthy and an excessive amount of, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete after I’m not prepared. When I’m wholesome, I don’t care who it’s.”
Usman was in attendance at Amalie Enviornment to get a close-up have a look at his longtime rival Covington and his potential subsequent opponent Buckley. For a lot of the competition, Buckley dominated Covington within the standup, however the bout got here to an finish earlier than the championship rounds when a physician dominated that Covington couldn’t proceed resulting from a bloody gash over his proper eye.
From what he noticed, Usman believes he matches up effectively with Buckley.
“I keep in mind watching the Buckley combat and I used to be drained from the entire card, however I keep in mind watching going, ‘Oh, I like that combat. I actually like that matchup,’” Usman mentioned. “Covington took him down a few occasions. Clearly, me and Covington make the most of the wrestling in another way and the way we method fights. Most individuals know after I take you down, you’re not getting up except I would like you to rise up, and so it’s totally different.
“I keep in mind watching the combat and I’m going Buckley did nice. To begin with, shout out to Buckley, he did nice for with the ability to undergo a man like Covington. With Covington having that lengthy layoff, I don’t understand how he’s going to point out up, however all people is aware of because the combat will get later, Covington will get a bit of bit extra snug, so it was going to be how fast he was capable of get the ring rust off and get going. Buckley didn’t actually permit him to try this.”
Usman not too long ago responded to criticism from followers over not accepting a short-notice bout with Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 after beforehand suggesting he was open to stepping in to save lots of the bout following the withdrawal of welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. He desires to make it completely clear that he’s not solely prepared to face anybody, he plans to beat the division once more.
“I don’t thoughts who it’s,” Usman mentioned. “It’s like nobody is listening to me. It looks as if each week we get on right here and I’ve to do that, nobody’s listening. After I’m wholesome, I’ll whoop each one among y’all, it doesn’t matter who it’s. I’ve gone via the division after which I began going via the division once more, so it doesn’t matter.”
Ought to a combat with Buckley not be within the playing cards, Usman has a suggestion for the streaking contender that has now received six straight bouts since dropping all the way down to 170 kilos: a matchup with Ian Machado Garry.
Garry was initially alleged to combat Buckley in Saturday’s primary occasion, however was moved to UFC 310, the place he misplaced a aggressive choice to Rakhmonov. Previous to that, Garry had received his first 16 fights together with eight UFC appearances, so Usman thinks it is sensible for them sq. off to remain in title competition.
“[Garry] won’t need to [re-book Buckley], however you’re probably not ready to simply say, ‘Oh no, I don’t need to,’ particularly you’re coming off of a loss,” Usman mentioned. “You’re probably not ready to say that. You need to get again to the title and I believe Ian says he desires to get to the title, that is the highway proper right here. You go forward and cease a man that’s on a streak, which Buckley is on a streak.”
