Kamaru
Usman isn’t limiting himself to a single division in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The former UFC welterweight champion returns to middleweight
against former champion Dricus Du
Plessis in the
UFC Oklahoma City main event on July 18. Rather than committing
to one division, Usman says he’s interested in certain matchups
across the 170 and 185-pound brackets.

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Kamaru Usman explains plans for welterweight and middleweight
fights ahead of UFC Oklahoma City

„The Nigerian Nightmare“ snapped a three-fight skid with a
unanimous decision over170-pound contender Joaquin
Buckley in his most recent outing. Instead of staying at
welterweight, he opted for a high-stakes matchup against du Plessis
next. Usman wants to keep his options open, rather than restricting
himself to just one division.

„For me, I’ve always said this. I’m a moneyweight fighter,“ Usman
said in a recent interview. „So, it’s not about ’85 or ’70. I can
hit both. I’m not the biggest at both, and I’m not necessarily the
smallest at both. I might be the smallest at ’85, but who knows?
But for me, it doesn’t matter. I feel that I have the skills to be
able to compete at either one. So, if it makes sense, I might be
there.”

Usman also admitted that competing at middleweight has made
preparation easier because he no longer has to plan for and endure
a severe weight cut. Notably, he accepted a short-notice 185-pound
bout with Khamzat
Chimaev back in 2023, which he lost by majority decision. This
remains his lone middleweight appearance inside the octagon.

IMAK ADMIN

By IMAK ADMIN

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