"You are still the same journeyman that you have always been!" - Kamaru Usman dismisses Jorge Masvidal ahead of potential rematch
Kamaru Usman is widely regarded as one of the best fighters in the UFC's welterweight division. Successfully defending the title three times against top names in the division, he has amassed a loyal fan base who know him to be the 'Nigerian Nightmare' he claims is.
On July 12th in 2020, the MMA community witnessed an absolute dog fight at UFC 251. Taking on a championship-hungry Jorge Masvidal in an excruciating five-round war, Kamaru Usman powered through the onslaught, securing a unanimous decision win.
In his post-fight press conference following the fight, Masvidal said that with a full training camp, he would beat Kamaru Usman. Having taken the fight on six days' notice, Masvidal iterated how he didn't fight as well as he would have liked, effectively opening the door for a possible rematch. However, the UFC had other plans.
Kamaru Usman's interview with TMZ Sports
Following Kamaru Usman's most-recent title defense against Gilbert Burns last week, rumors about a rematch with Masvidal began doing the rounds. In an interview with TMZ Sports, the 33-year old Nigerian said the following about Jorge Masvidal:
"It doesn't matter what you do, I've said it time and time again, you are still the same journeyman that you've always been. You are not an elite fighter."
Usman also addressed criticism about not being able to finish fights. He told TMZ that it was always his gameplan to take Masvidal into deep waters.
"I go the distance for a reason. Nobody wants to fight that f***ing guy that just took you five rounds and beat your a** through all five rounds. 10-8 rounds in there. And for him to sit up there and say, 'I have what it takes to beat that man,' it pissed me off because that's discrediting my work," said Usman.
Do you think Jorge Masvidal deserves a second shot against Kamaru Usman? Leave your opinions in the comments section below!