Kamaru Usman has had one hell of a career.
The former UFC Welterweight Champion came into the promotion ready to be the next big thing and he certainly accomplished that goal. He soundly beat Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 and Usman went on to successfully defend the 170-pound title five times. He holds the record for third most title defenses within the division and is the only Nigeran born UFC Champion.
Since dropping the title to Leon Edwards, Usman’s status has dropped a bit and there was a point where he fell into a three fight skid. However, the 38-year-old bounced back with a victory over Joaquin Buckley in June.
What’s next for Kamaru Usman?
The former UFC Champion has a mapped out vision of what the tail end of his career looks like and it’s definitely being the UFC Welterweight Champion again.
“In this part of my career, it’s the dream scenario is next fight, win the welterweight title,” Usman said. “Vacate. Win the middleweight title. Retire. Just boom boom, one, two, and then be done. Because you can’t top that. What else do I want?”
Usman also talks about how his perspective has changed at this stage of his career. He’s certainly thinking about his fights, but he’s no longer concerned about getting hurt. But the fear of losing could really hinder your career.
“Absolutely, you’re thinking about the fight,” Usman said. “When you’re going into the fight, it’s not so much I’m afraid of being hurt. ‘I’m afraid this guy might hurt me.’ No, you’re not afraid of that anymore. It’s crazy how the whole point of it is you’re afraid of losing. Like, man, I did all this work, I can’t lose. I can’t lose. That becomes the fear, which ultimately can either hinder you or actually put you in a place where you perform to greater than your expectations.”
At this time, Kamaru Usman isn’t scheduled to fight. While it’s still possible that he’ll make it in November and December, it doesn’t sound as if the former UFC Welterweight Champion is preparing for a specific fight at the moment.
Of course, that can change any time soon. If Usman can continue to give performances like the one against Buckley then it wouldn’t be much of a shock if he becomes a two-time welterweight champion. But that’s easier said than done since the current champion is a beast who hasn’t lost a bout in nearly a decade.