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USA Today
27-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Islam Makhachev on Kamaru Usman's callout: He can fight again 'and be in the waiting list'
Islam Makhachev tells Kamaru Usman to get in line for a UFC welterweight title shot. After Usman snapped a three-fight losing skid with a dominant win over Joaquin Buckley in the UFC on ESPN 69 main event, he set his sights on a title shot. Usman will have to await the winner of the expected title fight between welterweight champion Jack Della Maddelena and Makhachev. Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) thinks a fight between him and Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) would be massive. "If Islam pulls that one out, former pound-for-pound, current pound-for-pound – who doesn't pay for that?" Usman said less than two weeks ago at the UFC on ESPN 69 post-fight news conference. Makhachev doesn't necessarily deem former champion Usman as unworthy, he just advises him against waiting around for his shot. "I saw some interview, Kamaru said something," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "He's going to be a tough fight, but sounds good. It's a really big fight and – man, I don't know. Let's get the belt and we will see after the fight in the press conference and talk about this. But I don't want to look behind Della Maddalena right now. ... He don't have to stay long and wait. He can fight again, beat someone, make some money, and be in the waiting list." Prior to Usman getting back to the win column, Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie that he wouldn't stand in the way of a potential fight between his two clients. "He's the greatest welterweight of all time," Abdelaziz said of Usman. "He's Dana White's favorite fighter. Dana loves Kamaru Usman, 100 percent. Like, they have a very unique relationship. Listen, Kamaru is one of the biggest names in the division. Guess what? If Kamaru wins, Islam wins, they want to fight, I'm going to stay home, and I'm going to be watching from home. You know, I can see this fight happening too."
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kamaru Usman opens up about podcast scuffle with Belal Muhammad
Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has been largely silent about his physical altercation with then-champion Belal Muhammad during the filming of an episode of the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Usman and Henry Cejudo. "The Nigerian Nightmare" broke that silence during an interview with SHAK MMA. "He got to a point in his career as far as become champion. When you become champion it validates a lot of things for you that maybe only you were able to see at one point. I think that's what it did for him," Usman said. Advertisement "In that process, I think he was doing and saying a couple of things that were a bit distasteful for me. He was on the podcast and we attempted to have a conversation about it, but unfortunately it didn't go as I think either of us would have liked, at least on my part. That was that. Nothing more, nothing less." In infamous episode remains unreleased. Muhammad gave his side of the story during an appearance on "Full Send Podcast last month. "We were on his podcast, and Henry Cejudo was like, 'How does it feel to be champion? You're at the top now.' And I said it feels good right now because everybody wants to listen to you, everybody thinks you're the champ," Muhammad said. "Usman's like, 'I was the champ, too.' And I said, 'Yeah, but you're not the champ anymore.' And then he just couldn't let it go. He's like, 'But I'm right there.' Related: Watch Kamaru Usman flatline Jorge Masvidal in their rematch "I'm like, 'No, bro, you're on a three-fight losing streak.' He's like, 'I still had the belt.' I'm the champion now, and he just couldn't give me my props. Then he was like, 'Anything you do, I do better than you.' And then I was like, 'But you didn't take the head kick better than me.' And I think that just triggered him. He was like, 'I don't play these games, man. It's on sight when people talk like that.' On sight? We're right in front of each other." Advertisement Muhammad lost the 170-pound championship to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May. Usman wanted Muhammad to remain champion in hopes of meeting him in a title bout. "It's unfortunate that he lost the title because that would have been a great fight between myself and Muhammad. It is what it is. We move on," he said. Usman headlines this Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69 fight card against No. 7 ranked Joaquin Buckley at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Usman last fought in October 2023, losing to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight match.
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ABC 8 video: Nazim Sadykhov elates Baku crowd with bloody KO of Nikolas Motta
Nazim Sadykhov brought a 13-fight decision streak in the UFC cage to a brutal end at UFC on ABC 8 when he knocked out Nikolas Motta. Azerbaijan's Sadykhov (11-1-1 MMA, 4-0-1 UFC) sent the Baku crowd into a frenzy when, after a back-and-forth war for nearly two rounds, he blasted and dropped a bloodied Motta (15-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC) for the TKO finish at the 4:17 mark of Round 2 at Baku Crystal Hall. Check out the replay of the final sequence below (via X): After the fight, an elated Sadykhov, who remained unbeaten in his UFC career, sent a passionate message to his fans. "You're going to have to kill me if you want to put me away in Baku, Azerbaijan," Sadykhov said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. Between UFC on ESPN 69 in Atlanta a week ago and Saturday's event in Baku, the UFC saw 13 straight decision results until Sadykhov brought that dubious streak to an end. Up-to-the-minute UFC Baku results:
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'Game over': After fighting out contract, Paul Craig would retire if not re-signed by UFC
Paul Craig fought out his contract at UFC on ESPN 69, and now he's not sure what the future holds. Craig's light heavyweight bout against Rodolfo Bellato this past Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta was ruled a no contest after he illegally upkicked Bellato with just one second remaining in Round 1. The outcome of the fight leaves Craig (17-9-1 MMA, 9-9-1 UFC) in a quandary, because he is winless in his past four fights and closed out his deal in unceremonious fashion. He's not left in limbo, and Craig said if UFC doesn't re-sign him, he's unsure if he'll fight again – period. "This was the last fight in my contract so, I've fought my five fights for that last contract," Craig said on the "On Paper with Anthony Smith" podcast. "And it's in the balance of like do UFC sign me? I'm coming off a few losses as a middleweight. I moved back to light heavyweight to re-energize myself my career. I don't believe I'm ready to retire from this sport. I believe there's still a lot of learning that I'm doing, and it's the training. If I'm training and doing the same stuff and getting beat up in training, and going into fights and doing the exact same stuff and getting beat up, then it's time for me to walk away. "But I do believe I'm getting better. When I look at how much my striking improved against Bo Nickal, look at how my standup has improved over the years, that's where I'm working really hard. In jiu-jitsu as well, like I'm still learning. I'm still learning simple moves in jiu-jitsu which I'm able to add to my game, and as soon as that stops, then I'll walk away from this sport. But, it's not happening right now, and I would like to continue to fight for the UFC, but if they decide that it's not for me then they kind of force your hand, and then it would be game over for me. I would just walk away from the sport." Scotland's Craig, 37, holds notable wins over former champions Magomed Ankalaev and Jamahal Hill at light heavyweight. After going 1-3 at middleweight, the he returned to his original home against Bellato at 205 pounds, but wasn't able to rebound due to the unfortunate ending.
USA Today
20-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sean Brady scoffs at Kamaru Usman's call for UFC title shot, suggests they fight instead
Sean Brady scoffs at Kamaru Usman's call for UFC title shot, suggests they fight instead Sean Brady wants to face Kamaru Usman in a No. 1 contender bout. Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) called for the winner of welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev after defeating Joaquin Buckley in this past Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69 headliner. Brady (18-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who positioned himself in title contention with a submission over ex-champion Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 255, thinks Usman hasn't quite earned himself a title shot after rebounding from a losing skid. "If he would have gotten a finish, maybe he would have more of a claim," Brady said of Usman on his "The BradyBagz Show." "But Buckley was No. 7, you're coming off a three-fight skid. I know what he's trying to say, he has the biggest name. Say (Makhachev) and JDM fight in October, let's say Islam wins, he's not fighting again until next year. So, you're going to wait around 18 months? Because he's not going to fight during Ramadan, maybe he doesn't fight until early or late 2026. "Then there's Shavkat (Rakhmonov) there and they're saying he's still next. Either way, I'll fight Usman or I'll fight Ian (Machado Garry). Ian put out something: 'You got finished by Belal (Muhammad).' Bro, I was No. 1, now I'm No. 2. ... I've been asking to fight you for months, but now I'm like f*ck it, I'll fight Usman. He's a former champion. I would rather do that. Ian can go f*ck himself. After I beat Leon, Usman was like, 'Oh, maybe I'll fight Brady now.' It's like alright, now you got a win, now it makes sense. I'm here for it. Let's not wait around. Let's see who the No. 1 contender is." Brady was honest in his realization that most of the top contenders at welterweight would likely need to win one more fight before getting a title shot. "None of us are getting the title shot," Brady said. "JDM's there and Islam's there. That's happening next. They're saying Shavkat's next, then there's me, then there's Usman, then there's Ian. Ian beat f*cking (Carlos) Prates, who's (No.) 13. Usman just beat Buckley, who was 7. I f*cking got there, I beat Leon Edwards, who was No. 1 at the time when I beat him, submitted him. I'm the only one who got a finish."
