Kamaru Usman Puts Dana White on Notice, Demands Shot at JDM vs Makhachev Winner

“Put some respect on my name,” Kamaru Usman declared after finishing Gilbert Burns at UFC 258, staring directly into the camera. He echoed that same energy against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta, giving every answer critics needed after a long year away. The former welterweight king looked razor-sharp with no signs of ring rust, proving he’s still a real problem inside the cage at 38 years old. 

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ proved that he could still outwrestle a new-generation fighter like Buckley despite dealing with damaged knees. He was also an underdog coming into the showdown, which made his victory even sweeter. So, the inevitable question comes: what’s next? Usman tried to ease that answer by sending a strong message to Dana White. That he’s eyeing nothing but the long-lost welterweight crown. 

Kamaru Usman sets sights on Islam Makhachev or JDM following dominant UFC return

The UFC head honcho confirmed that Islam Makhachev’s future depended on the UFC 315 bout. The Dagestani champ’s dream of fighting for a second belt was cemented after Jack Della Maddalena dethroned Belal Muhammad. But there needs to be another contender once the superfight gets done. Which, Usman believes, he has once again become the biggest draw by defeating ‘Young Buck’.

UFC Atlanta Post Presser, he said, “Let’s be honest, I’m the biggest in the division. And, this is about entertainment. The UFC is an entertainment company. You wanna make the biggest fight, it’s gonna be the winner of JDM and Islam. If Islam pulls that one out, former pound for pound, current pound for pound, who doesn’t pay for that?”

Usman vs. Makhachev or ‘JDM’ would definitely sell out a card in a flash. But, it seems ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is a little too sure that Islam Makhachev will beat the newly crowned welterweight champ in their potential superfight, which is almost certain to happen down the line. That’s exactly why he has particularly set his sights on the pound-for-pound best in the showdown.

However, the most active welterweight in the UFC, who’s fresh off a solid win, didn’t wait to react. He believes Usman would get smoked by the soon-to-be former lightweight champ if they ever crossed paths. So, let’s see what he had to say.

Kevin Holland believes Usman will get smoked by Islam Makhachev 

Kamaru Usman vs. Islam Makhachev would be a dream matchup for many UFC fans. Both are among the most complete fighters in the promotion right now. Also, they’re more than capable of giving each other solid competition. But UFC’s resident big mouth, Kevin Holland, doesn’t think so. ‘Trailblazer’ believes the Dagestani champ would simply be too much for Usman to handle.

Holland took to X and wrote, “Islam smokes ’em” moments after ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ took care of Joaquin Buckley in the UFC Atlanta main event. He seemed to target both fighters with the tweet, but it’s pretty clear that Usman has moved closer to facing either Makhachev or Della Maddalena, and the shots were mainly fired at him.

With that being said, it’s definitely going to be an interesting scenario now that Kamaru Usman secured a much-needed victory. But the question is—will the former 170 lbs kingpin get a direct shot at the title, or will he need to take one more fight before that? So, what do you think should be next for Usman? Please comment below.