5 fights to make in the UFC welterweight division with Kamaru Usman injured
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman recently revealed that there is currently no timeline for his return to action due to an ongoing hand injury. He reportedly broke his right hand three weeks prior to his win over Colby Covington at UFC 268 and is still yet to be given the all-clear.
Kamaru Usman's timeline to return is not coming together as planned. 🤕
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Usman underwent surgery for the injury but doctors are still experiencing a tendon issue with the hand that is keeping him out of action. That leaves the rest of the UFC welterweight division in limbo for now and could well lead to an interim title fight if he is unable to return to action soon.
Here are five fights to make in the UFC welterweight division whilst Kamaru Usman recovers from his injury.
#5. Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira
These two fighters have some of the most unique offenses on the entire roster, so matching them up would ensure a truly fascinating clash of styles. It also appears to make sense from a match-making perspective as it ensures one of these entertaining strikers remains high in the UFC rankings.
Michel Pereira vs. Wonderboy twitter.com/unrooolie/stat…
Pereira will finally break into the rankings with his win over Santiago Ponzinnibio. Thompson remains at No.7 in the division despite his recent losses that have seen him taken and held down by strong grapplers. Giving him a striker will prevent another similar loss and keep interest in some big fights for him alive.
Pereira has proven he can always be trusted to put on an entertaining fight and he should there be rewarded with a big fight next time out. Above all else, this is the fight to make because seeing Thompson's karate versus Pereira's acrobatic offense would be a real treat for fans everywhere.