UFC boss Dana White has insisted that Kamaru Usman is the greatest welterweight to ever fight in the promotion.
Usman has served as the 170lb champion in the promotion since dethroning Tyron Woodley over three years ago. During that run, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has defended his belt five times, defeating both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal twice whilst also stopping Gilbert Burns.
He is scheduled to make the sixth defence of his belt at UFC 278 on August 20 against No.2 ranked contender Leon Edwards, who lost to Usman seven years ago when both fighters were fresh into their UFC careers. Speaking after the fight was announced, White ranked Usman as the best 170lb fighter ever.
“Leon Edwards is the number one guy in the world to take on Usman,” White told The Mac Life. “He’s a super talented guy, that whole division is stacked with incredible talent. That’s why it’s undeniable that Usman is the greatest welterweight ever.
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"He’s lapping guys that are incredible fighters, this isn’t like some lacklustre division where you got Usman and everybody else, just straight killers in this division. We’ll find out that night what Edwards brings in here.
“It’s easier to get there than it is to stay on top. That’s why it’s so impressive when you have people like Valentina Shevchenko and Kamaru Usman that go on these runs.”
White's comments have been questioned by fans who believe that now-retired UFC legend Georges St-Pierre holds the title of best welterweight ever. St-Pierre, a two-time 170lb champion, defended his belt against nine different opponents over the course of five years.
"Usman is undeniably great, but is he undeniably the greatest welterweight ever? I'm not so sure. St-Pierre had nine title defences to Usman's five. St-Pierre was a two-weight champ," one user wrote.
Another commented: "Usman has only fought three people during his title reign. GSP fought nine," with another putting: "It’s not especially close right now. St-Pierre has a firm grip on that title… but Usman is definitely on his way if he continues on this trajectory."
St-Pierre retired from fighting after submitting Michael Bisping to win the UFC middleweight title and become one of the few two-weight champions in promotional history. He was linked to a comeback against fellow UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, but the fight never materialised.
