The middleweight champion Sean Strickland is set to take on Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 297. The hype behind the match between the two middleweights is absolutely incredible and the PPV is gearing up to become one of the most successful events that the UFC has held in recent times. However, there was a possibility where the two wouldn’t have fought. Instead of ‘Stillknocks’ fighting for the middleweight title, it could’ve easily been Kamaru Usman.

Dana White announced that the winner of the fight between ’Borz’ and ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was a no.1 title contender fight. Kamaru Usman, however, lost the fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, but Chimaev injuring his hand against Usman, left an opening for Du Plessis to challenge for the title. However, the former UFC welterweight spoke about how a matchup between the two would end.

Kamaru Usman gives a take on his matchup against Strickland

Kamaru Usman has fought Sean Strickland back when they were in the welterweight division, where the Nigerian Nightmare had an absolutely dominating performance against the middleweight champ. When asked how Usman would fare against Sean Strickland, Usman replied saying, “Sean Strickland as a champion, I’ve already taken care of him.”

Usman, during the UFC 294 media press conference, commended Sean Strickland for his impressive growth in the sport. He told the reporters, “Sean, I think he’s definitely grown a lot, of course, but I think most importantly, he’s grown into his identity of a fighter. He accepts the fact that he fights a particular style, a particular way, and he’s just leaned into it and grown exponentially, and now he’s the champion.”

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However, despite Strickland improving as much as he did and even winning UFC gold in the process, the former welterweight champ still believed that he had the upper hand in the fight. He explained the reason being, “But styles make fights, you know. I said it when I came into the game. I’m a nightmare for certain people to deal with, and I just think that matchup is a nightmare for Sean Strickland.”

Kamaru Usman had almost cleared the entire welterweight division in his path and reign as the welterweight champ. Given that Chimaev won against Usman for the No. 1 contender spot, would he get the next title shot?

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Will Khamzat Chimaev get the next title shot?

Despite Khamzat Chimaev winning his fight against Dricus Du Plessis, the undefeated middleweight was unable to capitalize due to an injury he suffered during the fight. This has left Chimaev in quite an odd position in the title picture. Despite his win, he might have to prove himself once again with a win against a top 5 middleweight.

Dricus Du Plessis revealed that if he wins the title at UFC 297 against Sean Strickland, he claimed that his first title defense wouldn’t be against Chimaev. He stated, “The UFC promised him a title fight where in the world does that happen? And he says no, he’s fighting Strickland. No, you’re not. If there’s a champion, if you get a title shot, I’m the champion. You’re not gonna get a title.”

Regardless of who wins at the main event of UFC 297, where would Borz be in the title picture? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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