MMA
Francis Okupa, Special to ESPN 6y

Will Kamaru Usman be on stand-by again? 'I don't think so'

MMA, UFC

UFC welterweight fighter Kamaru Usman was the alternate for the Tyron Woodley-Darren Till title bout at UFC 228 on September 9, but says he is unlikely to take up that second fiddle role again.

While Usman agreed to be the standby fighter two weeks ago, as chronicled by ESPN's Arash Markazi, the Nigerian-American feels he is beyond such a role and should be the fighter on the main card.

Asked whether he would consider such a role again, Usman told KweséESPN: "I don't think so. I think I'm high enough to where I'm in a position I don't have to that anymore.

"I did it for this fight because I want to be the champion [but] they put another guy ahead of me. I've already proved I have what it takes to be the champion, I'm right there."

That being said, Usman, who is ranked number 8 in his division by ESPN, agreed to the offer from the UFC to be an alternate without much hesitation.

He explained: "When the fight was announced I was like, I'm training already so I'll train for this and I'll be prepared for this.

"The UFC said this guy [Till] missed weight two out of six times, he's a big guy, we don't know if he'll make weight so how about you be the standby. It just kind of worked out for both sides."

As for his weight cut? "It definitely was not easy. Each one is tough but the more you age they start to take a toll on your body.

"I'm a professional though, when I have it in my mind that it's time to go make weight because we need to get the bread for the family then you've got to do it."

Keeping in mind the depth and quality of fighters in the Welterweight division, Usman feels he isn't far away from his shot at the title: "I'm one fight away from being the champion.

"I think there's that core four guys right there shuffling around. Me, Darren Till, Woodley and then Colby [Covington]. It's one fight and I'm fighting for the title, or I'm fighting for the title next."

If a championship fight against Woodley was put on the cards Usman would gladly accept, but admits he would still love to fight his [and Woodley's] nemesis Covington at some point down the road.

"This is the thing, if they put Colby in front of me then yes. Of course, if I had a choice I'd take the championship fight because the life of a challenger is way different than the life of a champion," Usman said.

"[But] I'd definitely take that belt, and then go out and beat [Covington]. I really want to beat him up, but he doesn't supersede the reason I joined and I got into this sport, which is becoming a champion."

UFC scuttlebutt has it that matchmaker Sean Shelby is setting up Usman for a fight with the number six-ranked Welterweight Rafael Dos Anjos, who recently lost to Covington at UFC 225.

Usman was baffled by the rumoured fight, saying: "RDA just took a loss to Colby. I mean, how is he in the mix? I haven't lost a round since I've been in the UFC.

"I'm 8-0 in the UFC I haven't lost a round. Darren Till was undefeated in the UFC and has one draw. Colby has one loss to a guy I almost killed in the UFC.

"I'm a better version of Colby. Me fighting RDA will just be worse than him fighting Colby. I'm not opposed to that fight, If RDA wants some I'll give him some."

As for the year in which the UFC has seen two more Africans join the ranks, in middleweight Israel Adesanya and Dana White Contender Series winner Sodiq Yusuff, Usman expressed pride in the continent: "We're coming.

"Once Africans realise we can just fight and get paid for it, we can do that and still provide for ourselves and our families and countries? We're going to flood the market. I'm just impressed with those guys. They're doing phenomenal.

"I said it a while ago that Israel was going to be a problem and he's proving that. Francis [Ngannou] is just finding his footing. He had a bad performance his last fight but he'll be back stronger than ever.

"Sodiq Yusuff, just got signed, another Nigerian. There is no question that we're coming and we're making waves. Just expect to see more and more Africans."

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