MMA news: ‘I’m next’ – Former UFC champ Usman lines up winner of Della Maddalena vs Makhachev
The winner of UFC 322’s main event between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev may already have their next opponent lined up.
One of the most anticipated UFC main events of the year is set to take place this weekend as Makhachev aims to become a two-division champion when he faces the current titleholder at welterweight, Della Maddalena.
Makhachev vacated his UFC lightweight title earlier this year after defending the strap four times, which is the most of any champion in the history of the division.
Now, the Russian will make the move 15 pounds north up to 170, where one of the cleanest strikers in MMA will welcome Makhachev to a new weight class.
However, regardless of who leaves Madison Square Garden with the belt, their next challenger already appears to be waiting in the wings.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Niall Togher digs into the story.
Usman lines up title shot
Kamaru Usman, 38, is no stranger to having gold wrapped around his waist, with the Nigerian racking up five title defences as UFC welterweight champion between 2019 and 2022.
Despite his hall-of-fame-worthy career, though, fans and pundits alike felt that Usman’s best days were behind him when he lost his title to Leon Edwards thanks to a dramatic late head kick.
That defeat sparked a three-fight losing streak as a pair of losses against Edwards were followed by a controversial loss to Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight.
But Usman proved that he remains an elite fighter with a dominant win over surging contender Joaquin Buckley in June.
After finally getting back to winning ways, Usman revealed that he wants another opportunity to reclaim the title he once held in a recent interview on Submission Radio.
“I need to get back to where I belong, and that’s being a champion,” he said. “Me personally, I feel that I’m next.”
Makhachev open to Usman bout
Usman’s legendary status within the sport makes him an attractive prospect for either Della Maddalena or Makhachev to potentially have on their record moving forward.
Makhachev has already acknowledged this and claims that once he wins the belt at 170 pounds, he is eyeing a fight with Usman for his first title defence.
When appearing on a livestream with popular influencer Adin Ross, the Russian had this to say about the potential match-up: “After [I beat] Jack, I think Kamaru Usman [is next] … Now he’s in a good position.”
If Makhachev does dethrone Della Maddalena and then follows it up with a title defence against the consensus second-best welterweight of all time in Usman, then the 34-year-old will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest fighters to ever grace the Octagon.
READ MORE: MMA news: Jon Jones makes shocking Tom Aspinall admission after UFC 321
