5 reasons why Kamaru Usman would fail at light heavyweight
Kamaru Usman is a force to be reckoned with. He is on the verge of cleaning out the UFC welterweight division as the weight class is running out of contenders who 'The Nigerian Nightmare' hasn't already defeated. He's currently set to rematch former foe Leon Edwards at UFC 278. Should the reigning welterweight champion overcome Edwards as expected, he'll have fewer interesting matchups in this division.
Thus, the 170 lbs divisional kingpin has expressed an interest in plying his trade in the light heavyweight division in what would be an unprecedented feat in modern-day mixed martial arts. If UFC President Dana White agrees to Usman's demands, the Nigerian will bypass the middleweight division altogether, likely out of respect for fellow Nigerian Israel Adesanya.
The challenge Kamaru Usman would face is unlike any other. Not only will he encounter an enormous 35 lbs weight difference, but he'll be locking horns with men who walk around as heavyweights when they're not forced to cut weight. The problems this presents are plentiful and this list outlines five of them.
#5. Kamaru Usman's strength will be nonexistent
At welterweight, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is a physical specimen unlike any other. Kamaru Usman possesses enormous power, steely durability, endless cardio and brutish strength. Against other welterweights, the strength advantage he wields is significant, enabling him to ragdoll his opponents in the wrestling department.
This is due to Kamaru Usman's muscular build and his overall size as one of the largest welterweights on the UFC roster. Usman is so large that he would not be out of place at middleweight, as he is slightly bigger than even former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
Light heavyweight Jan Blachowicz had a staredown with welterweight champion Kamaru Usman 👀 https://t.co/Gj2bEEiDaX
However, weight classes exist for a reason. Part of the reason is the assumption that a massive weight disparity between two differently sized fighters is caused by functional mass. Thus, significantly larger fighters possess far more functional mass than their smaller counterparts in the lower weight classes.
So as strong as Kamaru Usman is at welterweight, he is unlikely to have the kind of strength to contend with anyone who has at least 35 lbs of functional mass more than he does. This principle was evident in Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman's failed attempts in the light heavyweight division, with both men being much larger and stronger than Kamaru Usman yet finding themselves outmuscled and overpowered against larger foes nonetheless.