Kamaru Usman continues to make his case for a welterweight title shot.<\/p>\n
Last month, Islam Makhachev moved up to 170 pounds and defeated Jack Della Maddalena to claim the welterweight title. Makhachev\u2019s win immediately created a bit of a horse race at 170 pounds, with multiple contenders vying for an opportunity to be his first title defense, including Usman, Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Machado Garry, Carlos Prates, and Michael Morales. And while the jury is still out on who will get the opportunity, Usman, the former longtime champion, keeps laying out why he should get the first shot.<\/p>\n
\u201cListen, it is what it is,\u201d Usman said on the Pound-4-Pound podcast<\/a>. \u201cIf the company says, \u2018We want to book the biggest fight right now in that division,\u2019 it\u2019s hands down, I think we know what the answer is. Former pound-for-pound vs. pound-for-pound.\u201d<\/p>\n Usman is not alone in wanting that fight, as both Makhachev and their manager, Ali Abdelaziz, have openly lobbied for it. Given the numerous options, though, Usman recognizes he may not get it, and so he also gave his thoughts on who would deserve it if he doesn\u2019t, giving props to Prates and Morales especially.<\/p>\n \u201cWho else would be worthy? I like a lot of these guys,\u201d Usman said. \u201cI\u2019m fans of them. I would say right now, for me, I would say Prates. I still think maybe another fight, because I feel like he\u2019s done so much in such a short time. It wasn\u2019t enough to let that ripple effect really touch the masses all over the world. But I would say Carlos Prates. Right now, I like everything I\u2019m seeing from him. His willingness, his excitement to go out there and compete and fight. Even if he loses, it\u2019s like, \u2018OK, I have to fix that, and I\u2019ll come back.\u2019 That\u2019s what I love to see, and I think that\u2019s what Dana, and the company, and Hunter [Campbell], and these guys love, is guys like that. So I love Prates.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMorales, too, is also impressive. No hate on these guys. I love what these guys are doing. I\u2019m a fan of these guys, and I\u2019m going to continue to be a fan of these guys unless they give me a reason not to be.\u201d<\/p>\n There is, however, one guy that Usman thinks isn\u2019t in the mix right now: Ian Machado Garry. Garry is currently ranked No. 2 in the UFC welterweight rankings and just beat former champion Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC Qatar a few weeks ago, and he also has a win over Prates earlier this year. But for Usman, Garry isn\u2019t in the conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cIan\u2019s doing work, too, but you can\u2019t literally sit here and say he\u2019s done more work than what Prates has done,\u201d Usman said. \u201cYou can\u2019t sit here and say he\u2019s done more work than what Morales has done. Yeah, he\u2019s done good work, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Merica. Sean Strickland explains why he turned down UFC 325 fight, trashes Khamzat Chimaev holding up division<\/a>.<\/p>\n Eye. Tom Aspinall calls out \u2018f*cking losers\u2019<\/a> critical of UFC 321 ending, dismisses Jon Jones.<\/p>\n Pokes. \u2018Everybody needs to man up\u2026 including Dana White\u2019: Henry Cejudo goes off about UFC\u2019s ongoing eye poke debacle<\/a>.<\/p>\n Frequency. Petr Yan downplays Merab Dvalishvili defending title 4 times in 2025: \u2018It\u2019s very easy to fight in your backyard\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n Boxing. Terence Crawford crushes WBC for stripping him of title: \u2018You can take the f*cking belt.\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Wrestling. Colby Covington vs. Luke Rockhold headlines RAF 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n Michael Bisping reacts to Tom Aspinall\u2019s eye injury.<\/p>\n Watch some idiots talk about UFC 324.<\/p>\n No Bets Barred. Jed Meshew looks ahead to the best bets from UFC 323.<\/p>\n SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE<\/p>\n Has to merit a stern warning, at least.<\/p>\n TUF 17 opponents go shopping.<\/p>\n Card is pretty full already.<\/p>\n Natalia Silva (19-5-1) vs. Rose Namajunas (14-7); UFC 324, Jan. 24<\/p>\n On that list of welterweight contenders, Usman is either last or second-to-last for who should get the shot. Fortunately for him, the UFC just booked Volk vs. Diego Lopes 2 for some reason, so it\u2019s clear they don\u2019t care at all anymore. Nothing matters, eat Arby\u2019s<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you find something you\u2019d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee<\/a> or @JedKMeshew<\/a> on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n