UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev has identified former title holder Kamaru Usman as the opponent he finds most compelling among possible challengers, İdman.Biz reports.
Speaking with Russian media, Makhachev rejected suggestions he is searching for a favourable matchup and instead praised the Nigerian-American veteran’s level. He argued Usman would defeat the other leading contenders, pointing to recent talk around rising names in the division before adding that Usman had already proven his superiority against top opposition.
The Russian fighter holds a professional record of 28 wins and one defeat in mixed martial arts and is widely regarded as one of the promotion’s dominant champions. Usman, now 38, has fought 25 times in MMA, winning 21 bouts and previously establishing a long reign at the top of the division.
A bout between the two would pit a current champion against one of the most successful welterweights in modern UFC history, a matchup likely to carry significant interest among fans and promoters alike.
