BATTLE ISLAND– Kamaru Usman said he would target all-time excellent welterweight Georges St. Pierre in a UFC mega-fight, ought to he retain his title at UFC 251 on Saturday.
Standing in Usmans way is the No. 3 ranked opposition in the 170-pound division, and champ of the “Bad Mother F —–” belt, Jorge Masvidal.
The 2 athletes collide in the headlining bout in the UFCs most substantial card of the year, the very first of four events on “Fight Island,” a quarantined location on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
Both fighters weighed-in Friday at the welterweight limitation, 170 pounds, at a ceremony inside the Flash Forum, the behind-closed-doors, purpose-built arena which holds all “Fight Island” bouts this month.
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Kamaru Usman would enjoy a mega-fight against all-time terrific fighter Georges St. Pierre.
Usman puts his UFC welterweight championship belt on the line in a high-stakes “Fight Island” primary occasion at the purpose-built Flash Forum.
” Fight Island” is a quarantined location of Yas Island, in Abu Dhabi, and is a festival of elite blended martial arts competitions, beginning Saturday, July 11, and ending on July 25.
Usman battles Jorge Masvidal on July 11 and both fighters have been linked with profitable showdowns must they win.
St. Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
After the event, Usman, who was talking through a coronavirus mask to abide by UAE government policies, said must he beat Masvidal, he would relish a future fight with St. Pierre.
” The next after Masvidal … I dont understand, thats up to the promo,” Usman said. “Whoever they toss at me, is who Im going to take on. I dont like choosing.
” [But] naturally … I would love Georges St. Pierre.”
St. Pierre has actually spoken before of a mega-fight
A two-weight UFC champ who when held the record for a lot of wins in title bouts, the Canadian athlete, last completed in 2017. He came out of a four-year retirement to beat Michael Bisping with a third-round rear-naked choke, including the middleweight title to his honors roll.
Though St. Pierre has actually not contended in an MMA fight because he did state earlier this year that he had for a very long time been interested in a mega-fight with the reigning UFC light-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Images by Frank Franklin II/ Mahmoud Khaled/ AP Photos
” The next after Masvidal … I dont understand, thats up to the promo,” Usman said. “Whoever they toss at me, is who Im going to take on.” This thing is trending greater than a Conor McGregor battle.,” White stated.
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According to White, it might be among the very popular cards in UFC history.
” This thing is trending greater than a Conor McGregor fight. The only thing this battle is similar to is Conor vs. Khabib [the very popular UFC battle ever],” White said.
Should Masvidal beat Usman and add the welterweight title to his “Baddest Mother F —–” belt, then could a bout in between him and McGregor become the greatest UFC battle ever?
” Yeah, it might be,” White stated.
Learn more:
Jorge Masvidal can be found in at 170-pounds for his Fight Island main occasion, after weighing 192-pounds and eating pizza simply days earlier
Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidals Fight Island bout is trending higher than a Conor McGregor fight, Dana White stated
Jorge Masvidal went from streetfighting to Fight Island and is simply one win far from immortality and an enormous Conor McGregor payday
According to St. Pierre, 39, the UFC was hated to give him a shot at Nurmagomedov due to the fact that he stated the company feared he d win and immediately retire with the champion.
” They didnt wish to take the danger of me winning the title and then abandoning again,” St-Pierre told ESPN in April.
Usman is not the only Fight Islander linked to a money battle
At the Flash Forum on Friday, throughout the exact same media event, Usman had actually spoken of his desire to pursue a St. Pierre battle, the UFC president Dana White told reporters that UFC 251 on Saturday was currently trending greater than a Conor McGregor battle.