The legendary Kamaru Usman says that the UFC brass offered him a fight against a former UFC middleweight champion.
Usman, who is at the tail end of his career, has big plans for 2026. “The Nigerian Nightmare” last fought at UFC Atlanta in 2025, where he returned to winning ways and snapped his three-fight losing skid by delivering a dominant wrestling performance to control the dangerous Joaquin Buckley for the majority of the main event, which was enough to cruise to a unanimous decision victory.
The 38-year-old wanted to fight for the UFC welterweight championship next, reclaim it, then move up and potentially rematch Khamzat Chimaev, this time for the 185-pound championship.
However, his big plans seem to be dashed by the matchmakers at the moment.
Kamaru Usman reveals that he was offered a fight against Dricus du Plessis
On Pound 4 Pound, Kamaru Usman said he was offered a fight against Dricus du Plessis, and there were also other opponents on the table for the former.
However, the 38-year-old opined on the show that he’s not here to “just fight the fight” and plans to move up to 185 pounds again only if the potential du Plessis bout, or any fight against another top-ranked contender, will bring him closer to a UFC title. He said:
Other things were presented to me, like potentially DDP [Dricus du Plessis] was presented to me or other guys. One thing about me is when they call me and say, ‘This guy’ or ‘that guy,’ [I do not hesitate]. I say yes… It has to be meaningful. I’m not just here to just fight the fight. If it gets me to the title, that’s what I want.”
Check out Kamaru Usman’s comments below:
Reigning UFC welterweight champion and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev also wanted to fight Usman, and the latter and his manager were hell-bent on making this fight happen.
However, the Dagestani wrestling maestro, who will make the first defense of his 170-pound championship after Ramadan, is expected face the No. 2-ranked contender Ian Machado Garry.
That being said, undoubtedly Kamaru Usman has already cemented his legacy at welterweight, and now, a move up to middleweight, in pursuit of two-division glory, seems to be the best choice before he potentially hangs up the gloves.
