NEW YORK — Former welterweight king Kamaru Usman has unfinished business at the top of the UFC mountain. As Jack Della Maddalena prepares to defend his title against Islam Makhachev in the UFC 322 main event at Madison Square Garden, Usman’s eyes are locked on the winner whoever it may be.
Recently dubbed the welterweight GOAT by UFC CEO Dana White, Usman is openly lobbying for another shot at the belt he once dominated for nearly three years.
“I made it clear what I want is that title back,” Usman told MMA Fighting. “That’s where I rightfully belong.”
The Comeback and the Message
After a stretch of injuries and setbacks, Usman returned this past June with a commanding win over Joaquin Buckley, reasserting himself among the elite at 170 pounds. That performance, he said, was a reminder to fans and the UFC brass that he’s still the same fighter who once ruled the division.
“A lot of people were saying time has gone by, he’s no longer the same guy, he can’t handle these new young contenders,” Usman said. “I think I answered those questions.”
The former champ admitted that taking on Buckley, a surging knockout threat, was a risk after a long layoff. But for Usman, that danger was necessary to prove a point.
“Looking at the landscape of the division at the time, Buckley was the most dangerous guy up there,” he explained. “A guy like that with power that could put you out with one shot… I think I showed I can still hang with anybody in this division.”
Haunted by a Minute in Salt Lake
Usman’s current drive traces back to that fateful head kick from Leon Edwards in 2022 a knockout loss that ended his historic title reign.
He hasn’t forgotten it.
“Had it not been for a stupid mistake with a minute left it’s not even a mistake, it’s a Hail Mary that just happened to work we’re not having this conversation right now,” Usman said.
The defeat, he admits, reshaped his perspective but didn’t dull his ambitions. Time off, he says, gave him a chance to heal physically and mentally. Now, at 38, he believes he’s retooled for one more championship run.
The Division’s High-Stakes Crossroads
Saturday’s UFC 322 main event could define the welterweight landscape for 2026. Della Maddalena (18-2) defends his crown for the first time against Islam Makhachev the lightweight champion moving up in pursuit of two-division glory.
A victory by Makhachev would scramble the pecking order at 170. A successful defense by Della Maddalena would reinforce his hold on the division. Either way, Usman wants next.
“Hopefully the company feels I deserve that, I’ve earned that as well,” he said.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
