Makhachev wants to fight the #9 ranked Usman instead of Morales...

[ComeChooDaddy]

He needs to fight Ilia except him, his handlers and the UFC won’t let that happen

 

[Pequeño Corey]

Usman was definitely not the “B side” against Colby, Burns or Leon. At least not his second fight with Leon, the third maybe.

I'll agree to the second Leon fight. He was the man, and no one gave Leon a chance. Then, headshot/dead, and the moment had passed forever. Usman was never a popular champion despite Joe and Pink Good trying to paint him as best WW ever. They started that shit after he washed Tyrone

 

[richardjohnson]

I'll agree to the second Leon fight. He was the man, and no one gave Leon a chance. Then, headshot/dead, and the moment had passed forever. Usman was never a popular champion despite Joe and Pink Good trying to paint him as best WW ever. They started that shit after he washed Tyrone

No but outside of Masvidal he was always more popular than the guys he defended against.

 

[JKS]

he lost to Leon Edwards convincingly in their rematch when the fight before he was winning most of the rounds, he's pretty clearly past it.

Not washed up, but far from his prime. He's clearly being cherry picked. Beating Joaquin Buckley hardly makes him the #1 contender, it's not as if Islam cleared the division.

So he went from being in his prime to being passed it from Aug 22 to March 23?? And convincingly?? A majority decision is not convincing lol. Edwards won 3 to 2 and one judge had it a draw. Next fight he came back vs a beast in Khamzat and again fought to a majority decision on short notice a division up.

Usman is still very much got it, I wouldn't say in the same prime he was in 2021, but he's not too far off.

 

[pamirec]

I’d like to see Garry or Morales as the next contender. Usman is not all that bad either. Can’t compare Usman with Stipe, though. Usman’s still active and won his last fight, but yeah, the most deserving would be either Garry or Morales.

 

[Angelassassin53]

I mentioned Shavkat v Usman…just feels like what ufc would do next

It makes sense. If they want to justify an Usman shot, beating the former #1 contender and having a 2 fight win streak is decent. Otherwise Shavkhat shakes off the rust and extends his streak against a former champ with a solid reign

I dont think Garry has done near enough since losing to Shavkhat to bump out Morales either