"The best" - Georges St-Pierre ranks Kamaru Usman at the top of his current welterweight list, believes the Nigerian is still beatable
Georges St-Pierre has asserted that reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is currently the world’s top welterweight MMA fighter. However, the legendary St-Pierre, who’s himself a former UFC welterweight (170-pound) and middleweight (185-pound) champion, explained that Usman is still beatable.
Speaking to James Lynch, 'GSP' put forth his take on Kamaru Usman and his impressive run in the UFC. Usman’s lone MMA loss came early in his career, and he’s yet to taste defeat in the UFC. Regardless, insinuating that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' too could be defeated, St-Pierre stated:
“Nobody is invincible. Everybody can be beat. It’s not the best fighter that wins the fight very often. It’s a question of odds. It’s the fighter that fights the best the night of the fight. And there’s a lot of things that can influence the result of a fight. I believe it is a lot of guy that can beat Usman."
He further added:
"I do believe, personally, Usman is the best right now in the division. But that doesn’t mean that he is invincible. He needs to always stay on the top of the game. It’s hard to be champion, and it’s even harder to stay champion. I’m sure if you’ll ask Usman, he’ll tell you the same thing.”
'GSP' highlighted that Usman’s on a tear right now and looks phenomenal, but there are many fighters such as Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards who could give him a lot of trouble. The retired MMA great pointed out that thus far, no one has been able to solve the puzzle known as ‘The Nigerian Nightmare.’
Lauding Usman for being incredible, St-Pierre simultaneously emphasized that he should stay focused, not underestimate anyone, and train for every fight like it’s the hardest fight of his career.
Watch St-Pierre’s conversation with James Lynch in the video below:
Kamaru Usman provides an update on his comeback
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was rumored to be defending his title in a rematch against Leon Edwards at UFC 276 in July. However, Usman recently revealed that his hand injury issues, for which he underwent surgery earlier this year, have delayed his July comeback.
Check out the tweet below:
Kamaru Usman had surgery to repair a ligament in his hand Monday, according to a Dana White post on social media. Usman’s manager @AliAbdelaziz00 tells me Usman will be ready to fight again International Fight Week, which is UFC 276 on July 2 in Las Vegas.
Nevertheless, Kamaru Usman has confirmed that he’s looking to return before the end of the year. At a UFC 274 media scrum, Usman said:
"Hand is doing a little better. Saw the doctor this week, and I can start to make a light contact with the hand. That's just what s**ks with these things. When you're dealing with tendons, they're a lot harder to just heal right away, especially when they're on top of the knuckles. I hate being wrong, so I don't want to throw a timeline on it."
Kamaru Usman's rehab is going slower than planned. 🤕
Full interview: bit.ly/3wgIInq https://t.co/ppwBXdyWWS