Kamaru Usman walked into UFC Atlanta with critics expressing doubts, and he left with those whispers hushed. Following a great wrestling effort against Joaquin Buckley, the former welterweight champion reminded the world why he once ruled the division with an iron grip. But as ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ celebrated his return to the winner’s circle, his thoughts turned to the future—and the war between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev.

Most fighters would take a breather after a hard-fought victory. But Kamaru Usman is unlike most fighters. When questioned about the highly anticipated fight between newly crowned welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, Usman did not hesitate to praise—and warn.

Kamaru Usman calls dibs on Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena winner

“JDM is no slob,” Kamaru Usman said in the post-event press conference, encouraging fans not to underestimate the Australian. “He’s very, very talented… That’s why he’s champion right now. So let’s not sleep on him.” The former champion, who has witnessed both men’s rise in real time, expressed his excitement for the showdown as both a fan and a future challenger.

“Islam is extremely talented. I love Islam… Him coming in makes that division a lot more interesting,” he explained. And it is worth noting that he rooted for Islam Makhachev not too long ago. But what followed this show of support on tonight’s presser was the most telling line: “It’s going to be an interesting fight. I will be watching, and I’ll take the winner.” That was not subtle at all.

Instead, it was ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ planting a flag, ready to climb back to the mountaintop regardless of who stood in his way. The statement hit with more weight given where Usman came from. After losing his title in awful fashion and then being narrowly bested in back-to-back fights, his return could have been quiet and cautious. But Kamaru Usman restored the hostility, dominance, and self-belief.

And now, instead of discussing retirements or legacy tours in the press conference, he’s looking for gold—this time as a storm looms over JDM vs. Islam Makhachev in the distance. After five rounds of control against Buckley, he reminded fans that he is still a beast on the ground.

So don’t be surprised if ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ interrupts the party by late 2025. He might not be next in line on paper, but in his mind, the belt is already his again. And to make it back to this spot, he has gone through what he calls the process of fighting his demons.

Kamaru Usman opens up on the struggle to make it back

Before Kamaru Usman could consider crashing the JDM-Makhachev title match with a win over Buckley, he needed to survive the internal conflict. Standing on the podium after UFC Atlanta, with his win still fresh in the air, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ swallowed back tears rather than yell or boast. It wasn’t the opponent across the cage who almost broke him. It was the quiet battles behind the scenes.

The kind that don’t appear on a fight card. “It’s hard,” he said, his voice cracking from months spent in the shadows. “It’s been a while—not just getting back in here, but obviously getting back in the win column. I battled a lot of things just to get here. Repairing my body, physically and personally.”

“There’s been a lot to go through, but thankfully, I’m blessed with a great team, a great support system, and a great family,” he added. The belt made little difference at that point. The spotlight did not matter. What mattered was that he made it back. Not to establish a point, but to reassure himself that he still belonged.

And if this version of Usman is on his way to the belt, the welterweight division should take notice—because what we saw at UFC Atlanta was, as Usman claimed, “still the boogeyman.”