"I feel like that is a one-way relationship from Usman" - Dan Hardy feels Israel Adesanya wouldn't have avoided a fight against Kamaru Usman had he fought at welterweight

Dan Hardy [Image courtesy of @danhardymma on Instagram], Israel Adesanya & Kamaru Usman [@stylebender on Instagram]

Former UFC welterweight Dan Hardy has questioned Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya's unwillingness to fight each other. Both fighters have claimed several times that they would rather have two African champions than one fighter holding two belts.

Kamaru Usman, the No.1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, will look to successfully defend his belt for the sixth time against No.2-ranked welterweight Leon Edwards at UFC 278. Interestingly, his previous two fights have been rematches. The Nigerian's upcoming fight against 'Rocky' is a rematch nearly seven years in the making.

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Kamaru Usman has been lapping the welterweight division, and a jump in weight class to chase the double champ status seems more likely than ever at this stage. Instead of challenging Israel Adesanya for the middleweight throne, he has targeted a move to the light heavyweight division.

Speaking to Submission Radio, Dan Hardy addressed the situation by presenting a hypothetical scenario. He stated that Israel Adesanya wouldn't have missed an opportunity to contest for the welterweight title if it was a possibility:

"If it was reversed, and Adesanya was the welterweight champion, and Usman was the middleweight champion, do you think Adesanya would've moved up in weight and fought Usman for the belt?"

He added:

"I don't know why it's a one-way relationship from Usman. I don't think Adesanya would've done the same thing if it was reversed."

Catch Dan Hardy's appearance on Submission Radio below:

Kamaru Usman believes there's unfinished business between him and Leon Edwards

Kamaru Usman will face Leon Edwards for the second time at UFC 278.

Ahead of the fight, Usman was interviewed by ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto. When asked about their previous fight, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' said that there are still moments from his 2015 bout with Edwards that he will carry with him into the rematch.

He further stated that one moment in particular from that fight drives him for this rematch:

"What he said, it stuck with me. I replay the whole first fight, replay his attitude, his mood, his demeanor... He gave me a little shove in that first fight and I'm still not over it. You know, when we weighed in at our staredown, he gave me a little shove. I'm still not over that, and I don't feel like I got enough in that first fight."