Francis Ngannou is back in the UFC—well, sort of! ‘The Predator’ joined ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Kamaru Usman on stage during the ceremonial weigh-ins on Friday afternoon, ahead of Usman’s highly anticipated return against rising contender Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta this Saturday at State Farm Arena. Adding to the star power, three-division undisputed champion Claressa Shields also showed her support for Usman.

Usman returns to the Octagon nearly two years after his last outing—a decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023. The former welterweight king now looks to snap a three-fight skid and avoid a fourth straight defeat, following back-to-back title losses to Leon Edwards prior to the Chimaev bout. Standing in solidarity, Francis Ngannou accompanied his fellow African star during his weigh-in entrance, offering support ahead of Usman’s comeback. However, winning might not be that easy. 

Since moving to welterweight, Buckley has been undefeated, which includes an impressive 4-0 run in 2024. The 31-year-old finished the massive year with a one-sided TKO win over Colby Covington in the main event of UFC Tampa last December. Regardless, after the pair’s fiery final faceoff during Friday’s ceremony, Claressa Shields seems to have joined the fun, as she showed her support for the upcoming fight. 

Reacting to a clip of their face off on X shared by the UFC, Shields wrote, “Wow!!!!” Shields, a former mixed martial artist herself, recently announced her retirement from the sport, suggesting it was too strenuous for her to train for MMA. The undefeated boxer, who has an MMA record of 2-1, was signed with PFL alongside Ngannou. However, it appears she won’t be appearing in the cage again. 

In the meantime, Usman has received a dire warning about his next fight!

Concerned for Kamaru Usman, Buckley’s former opponent issues warning

Ahead of UFC Atlanta, Stephen Thompson has voiced concern for former champion Kamaru Usman as he prepares to face the surging Joaquin Buckley. Thompson, who was stopped by Buckley in their UFC 307 bout last year, believes Usman is in for a tough night if he can’t rely on his wrestling.

“Been a while since Usman fought,” Thompson told Bodog Canada. “Buckley, man, he’s killing it right now. You saw what he did with Colby Covington.” Thompson isn’t confident that Usman can handle Buckley’s striking. “He’s strong, he’s got great striking, he’s explosive, takedown defense is on point,” Thompson added. “If he can keep the fight standing, I think Buckley’s got it.”

That being said, it appears Kamaru Usman has secured plenty of support for his return to the cage, but securing a win still seems difficult. Only time will tell whether he can launch another successful run. Do you think Usman can win?