"He has to give up the belt"- Kamaru Usman reveals the only way he would challenge for UFC middleweight title
Having dominated his division with an iron fist for some time now, Kamaru Usman sat down to talk with Brett Okamoto to discuss whether he'd ever move up in weight to challenge for the 185lbs title.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' currently holds the welterweight strap and has defended it five times in the past three years. His close-fought battles with Colby Covington, his two dominant victories over Jorge Masvidal, and a TKO win over former teammate Gilbert Burns have cemented Usman as the 170lbs champion.
During his interview with ESPN MMA, the 34-year-old announced that the only way he would ever challenge for a second title in the UFC is if fellow African, Israel Adesanya, first relinquished the championship, saying:
"The problem is, we can't do that [become a two-division champion] simultaneously, because in order for him to go up [a weightclass] he has to relinquish that belt... He has to give up that belt first, then challenge at 205."
Usman has been vocal in the past about how important it is for the sport to have multiple champions from Africa, as opposed to one champ having multiple belts.
With the UFC having three champions from the continent of Africa, a potential card in their hometown with the trio defending their throne could be one of the biggest events in the company's history.
Watch the full interview below:
Could Kamaru Usman ever be champ-champ?
While he has admitted he will never compete against Israel Adesanya, welterweight king Kamaru Usman will only eye a move to middleweight if the title changes hands or is vacated.
In the event that one of these things happens, the wrestler shouldn't have a hard time with weight or height advantages at 185lbs. Standing at six feet, only Brunson is taller than 'The man in the top-five of the division.
His ability to strike with power, coupled with his elite-level wrestling, makes him a problem for the majority of middleweights currently signed to the UFC. Although it looks unlikely, Usman could one day be added to the exclusive list of champ-champs.