Kamaru Usman heard Joaquin Buckley say his identify 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 a lot of 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 will likely be on his schedule.
“I really feel like the recent chick on the bar, everyone desires a bit,” Usman stated. “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 received’t do as a result of I’ve executed it for therefore lengthy and an excessive amount of, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete after I’m not prepared. When I’m wholesome, I don’t care who it’s.”
Usman was in attendance at Amalie Area to get a close-up take 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 physician 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 effectively with Buckley.
“I bear in mind watching the Buckley combat and I used to be drained from the entire card, however I bear in mind watching going, ‘Oh, I like that combat. I actually like that matchup,’” Usman stated. “Covington took him down a few occasions. Clearly, me and Covington make the most of the wrestling otherwise and the way we strategy fights. Most individuals know after I take you down, you’re not getting up except I need you to stand up, and so it’s totally different.
“I bear in mind watching the combat and I’m going Buckley did nice. To start with, shout out to Buckley, he did nice for with 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 slightly bit extra comfy, so it was going to be how fast he was in a position to get the ring rust off and get going. Buckley didn’t actually enable him to do this.”
Usman just 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 save lots of 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 stated. “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 all y’all, it doesn’t matter who it’s. I’ve gone by way of the division after which I began going by way of 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 received six straight bouts since dropping all the way down to 170 kilos: a matchup with Ian Machado Garry.
Garry was initially imagined to combat Buckley in Saturday’s primary occasion, however was moved to UFC 310, the place he misplaced a aggressive determination to Rakhmonov. Previous to that, Garry had received his first 16 fights together with eight UFC appearances, so Usman thinks it is sensible for them sq. off to remain in title competition.
“[Garry] may not wish to [re-book Buckley], however you’re not likely able to only say, ‘Oh no, I don’t wish to,’ particularly you’re coming off of a loss,” Usman stated. “You’re not likely able to say that. You wish to get again to the title and I believe Ian says he desires to get to the title, that is the highway proper right here. You go forward and cease a man that’s on a streak, which Buckley is on a streak.”
