Jorge Masvidal isn’t siding with most of today’s welterweight contenders he believes Kamaru Usman should absolutely be in the title conversation, and that the former dominant champion represents the toughest possible matchup for Islam Makhachev at 170 pounds.
While names like Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry have questioned Usman’s relevance as a contender, Masvidal strongly disagrees. Speaking on his Death Row MMA podcast, Masvidal said Usman has the exact tools required to trouble the lightweight king turned welterweight titleholder.
Masvidal: Usman Can “Wrestle Back Into Makhachev”
Usman (21-4 MMA, 16-3 UFC) recently snapped Joaquin Buckley’s six-fight win streak with a dominant performance in June, proving he can still operate at the top of the division. Masvidal who fought Usman twice for the title says that performance only reaffirmed what he already knew.
“That’s somebody that I know personally could wrestle back into Makhachev,” Masvidal said. “Usman started with his grappling. He’s no pushover in the wrestling.”
Masvidal believes Usman’s physicality, striking, cardio, and championship experience all pose unique problems for Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC). “He’s better on the feet, he’s bigger, longer, stronger, and has more experience fighting long fights on his feet. I thought he beat Khamzat (Chimaev) on like 11 days’ notice.”
Masvidal went as far as calling Usman “the most dangerous fight” for the welterweight champion.
Why Masvidal Thinks Makhachev–Usman Is a Far Bigger Test Than Della Maddalena
Masvidal praised Jack Della Maddalena’s talent, but said he’s not close to Usman’s level when it comes to defensive wrestling.
“Jack has some of the best hands on the roster and he’s a good scrambler, but he’s not on Usman’s level in any way. Usman can wrestle defensively. This is one of the toughest fights for Makhachev, and I don’t know if they’ll want to take that one.”
Masvidal Fires Back at Ian Machado Garry: “You’ve Never Even Been”
Masvidal also criticized Ian Machado Garry for recently calling Usman “irrelevant.”
“I never thought I’d be here advocating for Usman, but here I am,” Masvidal said. “Him calling Usman a ‘has-been’ is so crazy because you’ve never even been. You’re not nothing.”
Masvidal also pointed out that Garry’s win over Belal Muhammad involved multiple fouls and suggested Garry hasn’t proven himself against true elite competition.
“Maybe Usman is pushing 40, but I still see him beating the crap out of Ian Garry. Garry is massive, but a lot of guys would rock his sh*t. Shavkat already did.”
Masvidal argued that Shavkat Rakhmonov is one of the most deserving contenders at welterweight, and that Garry criticizing Usman a former pound-for-pound No. 1 is absurd. “For him to say Usman is irrelevant is like, man, what the f*ck have you done?”
The Debate Continues: Who Truly Deserves Makhachev Next?
As Islam Makhachev prepares for his next welterweight title defense, the field remains crowded:
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Kamaru Usman has the résumé and skill set
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Jack Della Maddalena has momentum
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Ian Machado Garry has the record but not the respect
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Shavkat Rakhmonov may be the most feared of the bunch
But if Masvidal had his way, the UFC would book the former champion who once ruled the division with an iron grip.
And in his eyes, Usman isn’t just deserving he’s the nightmare matchup Makhachev should fear most.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
