Kamaru Usman takes umbrage with Shavkat Rakhmonov claiming that he doesn’t need to battle him.
Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) was linked to a battle with Jack Della Maddalena, however Maddalena is at the moment recovering from arm surgical procedure. “Nomad” turned his consideration to a title shot, after accusing Usman and Colby Covington of avoiding him.
“JDM is damage, Usman and Colby don’t need it. I’m able to face the winner of Leon vs Belal.”
JDM is damage, Usman and Colby don’t need it. I’m able to face the winner of Leon vs Belal
— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) June 9, 2024
Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) addressed Rakhmonov, pointing to his short-notice matchup in opposition to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 as proof that he’s prepared to battle anybody. The previous welterweight champion misplaced a majority choice to Chimaev.
Usman additionally mentioned coaching with Rakhmonov at Kill Cliff FC.
“On the finish of the day, individuals act like, ‘Oh, you scared to battle this man?’ You don’t develop into champion to defend time and again and over since you’re scared to battle any person,” Usman mentioned on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “Like, shut up. Y’all get me going once more. … That is a type of issues as a result of he does come down right here in South Florida to coach at a fitness center that I’ve been coaching at earlier than he was even – see, now the competitor of me goes to come back out and I’m going to begin speaking sh*t. Hear, I’m not even in that place, however all I can say is earlier than he was dreaming of preventing within the UFC, I’ve been on this fitness center coaching and doing no matter and serving to my guys get to the highest whereas I acquired to the highest.
“I do know he comes right down to South Florida and he trains, however it’s what it’s. I perceive he’s a younger and hungry contender or what not. However hear, there’s this factor known as respect, and also you present the respect so as so that you can get the respect. I’m the kind of man who I’ve been to the mountaintop, after which I’ve come down. You noticed in that clip, I used to be serving to you out. I used to be supplying you with a glance. It’s not a type of issues to the place you might sit right here and say, ‘Oh, I’m petrified of you, I don’t need it.’ Hear, I took Khamzat on 9 days’ discover. Khamzat was arguably scarier than him, and he’s been damage. Khamzat hadn’t at that time fought a battle that lasted actually until you realize – most of his fights ended within the first spherical.”
Usman reacted to a clip which was launched from the “Struggle Inc: Contained in the UFC” documentary, displaying Dana White attempting to make Usman vs. Rakhmonov at UFC 294. His supervisor, Ali Abdelaziz, is proven pitching Usman vs. Stephen Thompson as an alternative, however Usman wound up stepping in to face Chimaev on lower than 10 days’ discover.
“At the beginning, I’m not even within the recreation proper now, in order that’s the least of – I’m not even frightened about any of that,” Usman mentioned. “This was accomplished a yr in the past, and after that, guess what? I stepped in there on 9 days’ discover and fought presumably probably the most harmful man within the UFC at the moment, Khamzat Chimaev.
“After I do get again into the octagon, I don’t give a flying frick who it’s. If it’s Cousin John, if it’s this man, if it’s that man, if it’s Shavkat, if it’s JDM, if it’s this man, if it’s Leon Edwards, or if it’s Belal (Muhammad), I don’t care who it’s. After I’m able to step again into the octagon and I need to battle any person, I don’t give a sh*t. I’ll battle who I have to battle.”
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