Kamaru Usman heard Joaquin Buckley say his title and he has a solution for the up-and-coming welterweight contender.
Following his win over Colby Covington at UFC Tampa this previous Saturday, Buckley used his post-fight interview time to name out quite a few 170-pound notables, together with Usman, Leon Edwards, and Belal Muhammad, with Usman standing out from the pack.
On his Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman responded to the callout, emphasizing that he’s open to combating Buckley and anybody else, however it is going to be on his schedule.
“I really feel like the new chick on the bar, everyone desires a chunk,” Usman mentioned. “It’s virtually like nobody’s listening to what I’m saying. Nobody’s getting what I’m saying. I don’t care who it’s. Shavkat [Rakhmonov], Belal, Ian [Machado Garry], Buckley, ‘JDM’ [Jack Della Maddalena], I don’t care who it’s. One factor that I gained’t do as a result of I’ve performed it for thus lengthy and an excessive amount of, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete once I’m not prepared. When I’m wholesome, I don’t care who it’s.”
Usman was in attendance at Amalie Enviornment to get a close-up have a look at his longtime rival Covington and his potential subsequent opponent Buckley. For a lot of the competition, Buckley dominated Covington within the standup, however the bout got here to an finish earlier than the championship rounds when a health care provider dominated that Covington couldn’t proceed as a consequence of a bloody gash over his proper eye.
From what he noticed, Usman believes he matches up properly with Buckley.
“I keep in mind watching the Buckley combat and I used to be drained from the entire card, however I keep in mind watching going, ‘Oh, I like that combat. I actually like that matchup,’” Usman mentioned. “Covington took him down a few instances. Clearly, me and Covington make the most of the wrestling otherwise and the way we method fights. Most individuals know once I take you down, you’re not getting up until I would like you to stand up, and so it’s totally different.
“I keep in mind watching the combat and I’m going Buckley did nice. To start with, shout out to Buckley, he did nice for having the ability to undergo a man like Covington. With Covington having that lengthy layoff, I don’t know the way he’s going to indicate up, however everyone is aware of because the combat will get later, Covington will get just a little bit extra snug, so it was going to be how fast he was capable of get the ring rust off and get going. Buckley didn’t actually permit him to do this.”
Usman lately responded to criticism from followers over not accepting a short-notice bout with Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 after beforehand suggesting he was open to stepping in to avoid wasting the bout following the withdrawal of welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. He desires to make it completely clear that he’s not solely prepared to face anybody, he plans to beat the division once more.
“I don’t thoughts who it’s,” Usman mentioned. “It’s like nobody is listening to me. It looks like each week we get on right here and I’ve to do that, nobody’s listening. After I’m wholesome, I’ll whoop each one in every of y’all, it doesn’t matter who it’s. I’ve gone via the division after which I began going via the division once more, so it doesn’t matter.”
Ought to a combat with Buckley not be within the playing cards, Usman has a suggestion for the streaking contender that has now gained six straight bouts since dropping all the way down to 170 kilos: a matchup with Ian Machado Garry.
Garry was initially presupposed to combat Buckley in Saturday’s principal occasion, however was moved to UFC 310, the place he misplaced a aggressive choice to Rakhmonov. Previous to that, Garry had gained his first 16 fights together with eight UFC appearances, so Usman thinks it is smart for them sq. off to remain in title rivalry.
“[Garry] won’t need to [re-book Buckley], however you’re probably not ready to simply say, ‘Oh no, I don’t need to,’ particularly you’re coming off of a loss,” Usman mentioned. “You’re probably not ready to say that. You need to get again to the title and I feel Ian says he desires to get to the title, that is the street proper right here. You go forward and cease a man that’s on a streak, which Buckley is on a streak.”