When healthy, Kamaru Usman is ready to respond to anyone’s callout – including Joaquin Buckley.
Usman’s (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) name has been mentioned by various top UFC welterweight contenders, and the former champion has grown tired of it. Most recently, UFC on ESPN 63 winner Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC), who stopped Colby Covington this past Saturday, resorted to the fans to help him pick who’s next. Out of Leon Edwards, UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, and Usman, “The Nigerian Nightmare” got the loudest pop from the crowd at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
Usman reiterates that he’s willing to fight anyone but not until he’s 100 percent ready.
“I feel like the hot chick at the bar,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast. “Everybody wants a piece, but hey, it’s almost like no one’s listening to what I’m saying. No one’s getting what I’m saying. I don’t care who it is.
“Shavkat (Rakhmonov), Belal, Ian (Machado Garry), Buckley, JDM (Della Maddalena), I don’t care who it is. One thing that I won’t do, because I’ve done for so long and too much, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete when I’m not ready. When I am healthy, I don’t care who it is.”
After watching Buckley fight Covington, Usman likes his chances against him.
“I remember watching and I’m going, ‘Oh, I like that fight,’ I really like that matchup,” Usman said. “Covington took him down a couple of times. Obviously me and Covington, we utilize the wrestling differently in how we approach fights. Most people know when I take you down, you’re not getting up unless I want you to get up.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.
