UFC welterweight contender Kamaru Usman is set to face 38-year-old challenger Joaquin Buckley in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena. The event marks Usman’s return from a three-year layoff, during which he took time off to focus on non-fighting aspects of his life and address nagging injuries.
Usman, who was widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world three years ago, has struggled to regain his form since losing to Leon Edwards in August 2022. He came up short in a rematch with Edwards in March 2023 and suffered a loss to Khamzat Chimaev last October.
Despite being a +230 betting underdog against Buckley, Usman is confident that he can finish the fight and set himself up for bigger challenges in the future. If he wins, his aspirations are to face the winner of an expected title fight between welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena and former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Usman’s plan would see him move up to challenge for a second belt if he were to reclaim the title from Della Maddalena. He also expressed interest in facing middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis or Chimaev in the future.
The question on everyone’s mind is: Can Usman still be a factor in the 170-pound title picture, or will he become cannon fodder for someone like Buckley?
Source: https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/45500166/kamaru-usman-next-generation-welterweights