UFC 294 has been a wild ride so far with massive changes to the co-main event, we examine the man stepping in: Kamaru Usman.
Abu Dhabi is the destination for UFC 294 this Saturday night. Paulo Costa was forced out due to surgery on his elbow, in comes Kamaru Usman. I know what you’re thinking; Isn’t he a welterweight? Yes, he is. He’ll be going up to middleweight to face the phenom Khamzat Chimaev, and for some extra spice, Dana White has said the winner will get a title shot.
Usman v Chimaev was talked about at welterweight before Khamzat’s massive weight miss at UFC 279. Usman also held the belt at welterweight at that time, but the promise of this fight had fans incredibly excited. Fast forward just over a year: Usman has lost his belt and lost the rematch to Leon Edwards and Chimaev hasn’t fought since. That sets up the stakes for this incredible co-main event.
UFC 294: The Road for the Nightmare
After his second loss to Leon Edwards in March this year the future looked unclear for Kamaru Usman. In a similar position to Max Holloway at featherweight, he was considered arguably the GOAT of the division only to be dethroned not once but twice. What would be next for Usman? Fighting off contenders until another title shot? Rematching against Gilbert Burns or Colby Covington? None of those seemed to fit.
Then came October 11th and this video from Dana White:
The Nightmare was stepping in for Paulo Costa at UFC 294 at middleweight, on 11 days notice. 11 days.
The Nightmare vs The Wolf
As matchups go, this is an intriguing one, both have similar styles and can match each other in each department. How the fight plays out is anyone guess really, Usman has notorious knee problems, will they play a factor? Khamzat showed vulnerabilities against Gilbert Burns, who Usman stopped.
One thing that sits in Usmans favour is experience in the UFC and in BIG fights. Since winning the belt against Tyron Woodley in 2019 it’s been nothing but big fights since then for Kamaru Usman. He’s had 2 wars against bitter rival Colby Covington, 2 high-pressure fights against fan favourite Jorge Masvidal and the aforementioned Burns. Usman knows what it’s like to fight under pressure and on massive cards, he brings experience with him to this fight.
Usmans most notable improvements have been in striking under the tutelage of Trevor Witman, his striking improved in leaps and bounds and culminated in his stunning knockout of Jorge Masvidal in the second fight. A further excellent performance against Colby Covington further demonstrated Usman’s skills in the stand-up. We know his wrestling is elite and he can nullify anyone in the division not named Leon Edwards.
What’s the x-factor in this fight? My faith is with Usmans striking, it’s far more polished than Khamzats and he has real power that carries throughout the fight, and with a 3-round fight Usman can put his foot on the gas and put the pressure on Khamzat like Burns did.
The Nigerian Legacy
At 36 it’s fair to say that Usman’s best days are probably behind him. So then comes the question of legacy, hall of fame? No doubt. Divisional GOAT? Very questionable. With his path of destruction up to Edwards in Salt Lake City Usman was certainly in the discussion with George Saint Pierre as the GOAT at welterweight. However, have those back-to-back loses taken the shine off Usman’s clam to be the top dog in welterweight history?
In short, yes. Losing twice to Edwards means GSP is absolutely the GOAT of the division. But, Usman can cement his legacy as an all-time great but achieving double champ status (as GSP did in 2017). Beating Khamzat and then winning the belt against Strickland would be an incredible achievement and probably the crowning jewel in an outstanding career.
Both fights are winnable for Usman and his skillset, no doubt. What’s in question is his conditioning and longevity in the game, is time catching up to him? Or will this adventure at middleweight prove to be a career-defining period for Kamaru Usman.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
