“Kamaru Usman has done a lot of things for this company. What the f**k has Ian Garry done the last couple years?... Kamaru Usman is one of the biggest names in the division. When you're Islam Makhachev, you want to have a legacy in your name.”

– via MMA Junkie, campaigning for Kamaru Usman to receive the next title shot against Islam Makhachev, arguing that Usman's name value benefits Makhachev's legacy more than an Ian Garry fight.

“UFC reached out to me, they were asking [Islam] to fight a main event in january. He thought about it, and khabib said 'hey, shut up'. Honestly, kamaru's name was in the mix for january. Ian garry's name was in the mix too.”

– via MMA Junkie, revealing that the UFC offered Islam Makhachev a January main event fight, with Kamaru Usman and Ian Garry floated as potential opponents, before Khabib Nurmagomedov advised him to decline.