Is it too soon for Kamaru Usman to retire? He is 38 years old, but had an impressive win over Joaquin Buckley in his last fight. While the answer can be subjective to everyone, for ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’, he seems quite clear in his head.

Usman surely had an illustrious career, spanning almost a decade. And right from the get-go in the UFC, the Nigerian fighter was dominating everyone in the welterweight division. But before he hangs up his gloves, Usman wants to achieve two major goals in 2026.

“2026, you wanna say, wow, I can’t believe you actually pulled that off, and went, not only took one title, but you took two, and you walked away,” said Usman during an interview with UFC op Eurosport. “Well, of course, the welterweight first, because I don’t think the other one happens without the welterweight one, because it’s, it only makes sense. I’m in this division, I’m still there, so why not take that one?”

Take fighters like Amanda Nunes, Georges St-Pierre, and Daniel Cormier, for example. These legends bowed out of the UFC after holding titles in two divisions. A fighter like Usman, who has put out dominating performances in his career, except for his last few bouts, would surely want to finish on a high note.

Usman’s confidence is well-founded. He was unparalleled at welterweight until Leon Edwards came through and caught him with that head kick. Usman has proven he can hang in with the young guns, and there is no fighter in the top five right now that has a clear advantage over him. Plus, he took the fight to middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev on short notice at UFC 294.

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If Usman can pull off his double champion dream, it would be a fairytale ending to arguably the greatest career at UFC welterweight. Before Usman lost to Leon Edwards at UFC 278, he was 15-0 in the promotion and set to tie Anderson Silva for the record of the longest win streak. Now, his sights are set on the man who has finally tied that record and holds the welterweight title, Islam Makhachev.

Islam Makhachev would love to fight Kamaru Usman next

After a standout performance against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, Islam Makhachev became the new welterweight champion. Now, for his first title defense, the Dagestani has a plethora of options, which include top contenders like Michael Morales and Ian Garry. But when Makhachev’s opinion was asked, he had Kamaru Usman on his mind.

“I said I wanted to fight Kamaru Usman next. Although the media doesn’t believe in this fight, as I can see,” said Makhachev in an interview with Red Corner MMA. “But in my opinion, Usman would steamroll through these up-and-comers like Morales, Prates, and the striker. Those guys haven’t been checked yet.”

“I think Usman would be the hardest fight for me, and in terms of media, we could build it up like a former champion, the most title defenses in my weight division. We could promote this fight and make it fun to watch.”

Even ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is down with the idea of fighting Makhachev for the title next. But then again, the ultimate decision is still in UFC’s hands. On that note, do you think Usman should get a title opportunity against the Dagestani? Let us know in the comments below!