Jun 14, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, UNITED STATES; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) reacts after defeating Joaquin Buckley (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Kamaru Usman Has Sights Set On The Title; Wants Nothing To Do With Rival

Kamaru Usman ready for the winner of the upcoming Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev fight, refuses to fight former champion!

Victory has a way of changing everything in MMA. One night you are questioning your future, the next you are making championship demands. Kamaru Usman experienced this dramatic shift firsthand at UFC Atlanta, where he dominated Joaquin Buckley over five rounds to snap his three-fight losing streak. The former welterweight champion looked like his old self again, mixing wrestling with ground control to neutralize one of the division’s rising stars. That performance reminded everyone why Usman ruled the division for so long and why writing him off was premature.

Now the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ finds himself in an interesting position after proving he still belongs among the elite welterweights. His dominant showing against Buckley has reignited talk about where he fits in the title picture. The welterweight division currently has Jack Della Maddalena holding the belt. There’s serious buzz about a potential superfight between lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Della Maddalena. Usman believes his performance should put him first in line for whoever emerges as champion.

The confidence was flowing from Usman during his post-fight press conference in Atlanta. He made it crystal clear that he believes his victory over Buckley should earn him a direct path to another title shot.

“UFC is an entertainment company. You wanna make the biggest fights which is going to be the winner of JDM vs Islam Makhachev. If Islam pulls that one off, former pound for pound, current pound for pound, who doesn’t pay for that?”

This mindset makes perfect sense from Usman’s perspective. He’s already proven himself against the division’s best fighters during his dominant title reign. He defended the belt five times against elite competition. In Usman’s mind, one impressive win should be enough to vault him back into title contention without having to climb through the rankings again.

Kamaru Usman Not Interested In Fighting Belal Muhammad

Things got interesting when reporters brought up the possibility of fighting former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Usman’s response was as dismissive as it was calculated. When asked about a potential matchup with Muhammad, Usman simply replied with one word: “Who?” This wasn’t accidental confusion though. It was a masterclass in psychological warfare. Usman’s “Who?” response was a direct shot at Bela Muhammadl’s nickname ‘Remember the Name.’ By pretending not to know who he is, Usman essentially trolled the former champion in the most savage way possible.

Congrats see you soon
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) June 15, 2025

Belal Muhammad didn’t take the slight lying down though. The champion quickly fired back on social media with a simple but ominous message: “Congrats see you soon.“The former champion isn’t planning to let Usman’s disrespect slide without consequences. The tension between these two has been building for a while, especially after the infamous podcast fiasco. Whether Usman likes it or not, he might have to deal with Belal before getting his hands on any title shot. The UFC welterweight division loves its drama, and this brewing rivalry could produce fireworks sooner rather than later.

(Image Credit: Brett Davis – Imagn Images)

Belal Muhammad

Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev

Kamaru Usman

UFC Atlanta

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!