In a surprise turn of events, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has expressed his willingness to engage Conor McGregor, as both fighters find themselves on a similar trajectory in their respective careers.
Usman, currently ranked number one welterweight contender, has been absent from the Octagon since headlining UFC 286 in London, where he suffered defeat in a trilogy title rubber match against Leon Edwards.
Meanwhile, McGregor, the former undisputed lightweight and featherweight titleholder, has yet to make his return to the Octagon after a devastating leg injury during a fight against Dustin Poirier.
Despite McGregor’s aspirations for a welterweight clash with Usman, the matchup has yet to materialise. McGregor’s future in mixed martial arts remains uncertain as he has yet to rejoin the United States Anti-Doping Agency testing pool, according to UFC president Dana White.
“We’ll see how that plays out… I don’t talk about sh*t until sh*t happens, you know what I mean?” White said.
With his planned fight against Khamzat Chimaev falling through, Usman has extended an invitation to McGregor for a showdown instead.
“Conor (McGregor) said he’s always wanted to fight me at 170 pounds, so that makes sense,” Usman shared with the media prior to UFC 290.
“I’m not the champ anymore, so, hey, let’s do it.”
The potential clash between Usman and McGregor has generated significant interest among fight enthusiasts, as both fighters look to revive their careers following recent setbacks.
