Islam Makhachev
Kamaru Usman
Conversation History
“I said i wanted to fight kamaru usman next. Although the media doesn't believe in this fight, as i can see. But in my opinion, usman would steamroll through these up and comers like morales, prates, the striker. Those guys haven't been checked yet. I think usman would be the hardest fight for me, and in terms of media, we could build it up like a former champion, the most title defenses in my weight division. We could promote this fight and make it fun to watch.”
– via Red Corner MMA, claiming that Kamaru Usman would be his "hardest fight" at welterweight and that the fight makes the most sense from a promotional perspective, given Usman's history
“Islam knows how much I love him, and this is what brothers do brothers make each other rich”
– via Anatomy of a Fighter, discussing his desire for a title fight against Islam Makhachev
“When I look at a guy like Islam, I don't see holes [in his game], and that's something that scares me, that causes that heartbeat to go up”
– via the Pound 4 Pound podcast, expressing his view on Islam Makhachev's completeness as a fighter.
“I still think Kamaru can beat Morales and Prates both... Kamaru is still dangerous and one of the best in this game. If you give me the choice and ask me who you want to fight, I will say Kamaru”
– via the UFC's 'About Last Fight' show, explaining why he views former champion Kamaru Usman as a greater challenge than rising contenders Michael Morales and Carlos Prates, and stating Usman is his preferred next opponent.
“Defend the second belt maybe more times than Kamaru Usman, and enter the Hall of Fame”
– via UFC News, outlining his career goals after potentially winning a second title
“If JDM [Della Maddalena] defends that title against Islam, who better to say OK, let's solidify him as the new generation of champion by taking on the biggest name, the former pound for pound in the division, of course, me. Of course, if Islam wins, pound for pound vs. pound for pound fighting, I mean, I'm not really worried here. I've done my job to let them know because they wanted to see, 'Hey, are you still that guy, can you still hang with these guys, can you still do your thing,' and I've done that. I went in there and showed them that. So, I'm not worried.”