UFC Welterweight Champion, Kamaru Usman, is set to defend his title against Leon Edwards at UFC 278. The Nigerian Star has been on an unstoppable run as champion so far. Just last year, Usman successfully defended his title thrice and earned the number one spot in the UFC pound-for-pound rankings.

In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Usman talked about who he believed to be the greatest UFC fighters of all time. To the surprise of many, Usman left out his friend, Khabib Nurmagomedov, from his picks. Conor McGregor was another prominent fighter, to have been excluded by the Welterweight champion.

The Nigerian star mentioned the names of Jon Jones and Anderson Silva to be his greatest all-time fighters. Usman also added Georges St-Pierre‘s name to the list.

Another surprise to many was Usman’s inclusion of former Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, who suffered the third loss of his career last weekend, to Marlon Vera.

Both Nurmagomedov and McGregor will feel hard done by the Welterweight champion’s decision to leave them off his list. The Russian fighter retired with the UFC Lightweight title to his name, while having an undefeated MMA record. Whereas the Irishman provided the UFC with some sensational fights and garnered millions in pay-per-view buys.

Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards

At UFC 278, The Nigerian champion will be looking to secure another win against challenger, Leon Edwards. The pair fought in 2015, with Usman defeating Edwards via unanimous decision. Since that bout, Edwards has built up a 10-fight win streak, promising to make this fight an interesting one.

READ MORE: Kamaru Usman Hinted How a UFC Fight Between Him and Conor McGregor Would Look on Joe Rogan’s Podcast

Usman, however, had a phenomenal run last year, as he defeated Gilbert Burns, Jorge Masvidal, and Colby Covington.

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The rematch between Usman and Edwards is sure to be an exciting one, with both fighters having something to prove. Do you think the Nigerian champion will retain his title? Or will Leon Edwards make a surprise upset? Let us know in the comments below.

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