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With Kamaru Usman at the top of pound-for-pound discussions, many are looking to see what hurdles are next for the indomitable 170-pound titleholder. With five title defenses depicted as rubies on his gold belt, Kamaru Usman's activity as a champion is astounding.
With a wrestling base he can rely on, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' could present problems for middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. If the two champions were ever to meet in an unlikely match-up, many have wondered who would topple the other in an ultimate battle between a striker and grappler.
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Kamaru Usman has defended his title 5 times and is beginning to lap his division. Since talks about him fighting a rematch against Leon Edwards are percolating, it stands to reason that Usman is starting to run low on interesting opponents.
While Khamzat Chimaev appears to be headed in the right direction, the Chechen-Swede likely still needs a couple more fights before talks of Kamaru Usman enter into the equation. With the dominance Adesanya has displayed at middleweight, a potential fight between the two Nigerian-born champions could be an entertaining affair.
With that in mind, here are 5 reasons why Kamaru Usman should fight Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title.
#5. Kamaru Usman could turn into a massive star by fighting Adesanya
A star was shot into the sky when UFC 205 concluded with Conor McGregor making history and becoming the first-ever UFC two-division champion. Conor McGregor's name was immortalized following his victory against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in New York.
After the contest, McGregor draped both gold belts over his shoulders. The victory earned him lightweight gold in addition to already being the 145-pound titleholder. If Kamaru Usman could bottle that same lightning and secure a second belt, his name would be right there next to the Irish superstar's.
Kamaru Usman versus Israel Adesanya would present a unique challenge for both athletes. In many of Usman's recent performances, it appears the champion is starting to enjoy getting his work done within the confines of the standup department. However, against a seasoned striker like Israel Adesanya, it would suit Usman to focus more on his wrestling.
With the prospect of securing a second UFC belt on the line, Kamaru Usman should fight Israel Adesanya for the chance to become the next big star. After McGregor captured the second belt, opportunities for the Irishman continued to follow. Usman should fight Israel Adesanya to potentially reach heights a UFC welterweight has yet to see.
#4. Kamaru Usman has the style to defeat Israel Adesanya
Kamaru Usman should fight Adesanya because he has the skillset to defeat the 185-pound champ handily.
In his fight against then-light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, Adesanya struggled to deal with the Pole's takedowns in open space. Usman is a credentialed wrestling champion and would have an advantage entering the title fight if it goes to the ground.
Kamaru Usman's wrestling chops would be difficult for Israel Adesanya to deal with. Earlier in Usman's UFC career, the fighter was criticized for his inability to secure finishes. Usman's ability to implement wrestling pressure in championship fights is a useful weapon.
Usman faking his wrestling is sometimes more effective than following through on the technique. Kamaru Usman demonstrated this tactic against Jorge Masvidal. In their second fight, Usman faked low as if he was going to shoot a takedown on 'Gamebred'. After Masvidal grew accustomed to the motion, Usman would sneak over his guard with a devastating overhand right.
Usman's ability to feint his wrestling would be an ideal weapon against a striker like Adesanya. Since Adesanya relies on distance and set-ups, the pressure combined with Usman's clinch-ups could prove to be a problem for Adesanya. Usman blends his wrestling and striking together well and that would present a challenging fight for 'The Last Stylebender'.
#3. Kamaru Usman should fight Israel Adesanya because the fight would test the resolve of both competitors
A fight against Israel Adesanya would be a true test of Usman's striking and grappling implementation. As it stands, Adesanya is redefining his legacy at middleweight but few would disagree that a fight with Usman would test the resolve of both UFC champions.
A fight between Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya would test both men's resolve. Since Adesanya has suffered at the hands of a wrestler, it would give the middleweight champ a stiff challenge. With Adesanya specializing in striking, and Usman's strength being wrestling, the fight would likely represent both styles of fighting quite well.
Israel Adesanya would be a puzzling test for Kamaru Usman if they ever were to meet in the cage. Both fighters are beginning to struggle to find contenders. While Adesanya still has a rematch with Robert Whittaker waiting in the wings, the division, like welterweight, needs some new blood for these dominant champions.
Kamaru Usman deserves a chance at becoming a dual-weight champion and a fight against Adesanya would test the resolve of both UFC athletes. Given the record of opponents that he has toppled, Usman's work warrants a crack at Israel Adesanya. The pair would push each other to the brink, potentially forging an even more dominant champion.
#2. Kamaru Usman should fight Adesanya because the pay-per-view would be successful
Kamaru Usman is steadily becoming a UFC draw. While 'The Nigerian Nightmare' was criticized for only going '30%' early in his UFC tenure, that attitude has since changed. UFC president Dana White was critical of Usman before he captured gold. However, it appears the boss' tune has changed drastically since then.
Kamaru Usman cleared a respectable amount of pay-per-view buys in his second fight against Jorge Masvidal. The title bout was highly publicized. While many insiders pegged Usman as a big favorite, the second performance of 'The Nigerian Nightmare' exceeded expectations as Usman finished the fight in round two with an overhand right.
Following two big victories against Masvidal, Usman's name appeared to be bigger than ever. After topping the pound-for-pound list in the UFC, Usman remained true to activity and entered a dangerous rematch against Colby Covington. Once again, Usman sent Covington packing. This time the result would come by a unanimous decision rather than a late-finish.
Kamaru Usman reportedly drew around a 700,000 buy-rate for the UFC 268 pay-per-view event against Colby Covington. With back-to-back fights pulling in some lucrative numbers, a fight against Adesanya would seemingly do similar, if not better, numbers. Fighting Israel Adesanya would make for one of Kamaru Usman's most lucrative ventures in the UFC yet.
#1. Kamaru Usman should fight Adesanya to match the accolades of Georges St. Pierre
Similar to Georges St. Pierre, Kamaru Usman will need to move up and face Adesanya if he is to challenge for the GOAT-worthy status held by GSP. With 9-title defenses racked up during his welterweight tenure, GSP not only picked up several championship victories but also avenged his only two losses.
GSP captured a second title in a heavier weight class. GSP returned 4 years after leaving the sport in 2013 to challenge then-middleweight champion Michael Bisping. Many were shocked in 2017 to see GSP attempting to move up in weight. It was a feat that Conor McGregor accomplished a year prior as well. Certainly, a superfight with Adesanya could also further propel Usman into superstardom.
A big part of Kamaru Usman's legacy will hinge on is whether he moves up in weight or not. While for some athletes the notion isn't even considered, for a fighter as dominant as Usman, fans will want to see him challenged outside of his comfort zone.
A fight against a friend like Israel Adesanya could prove difficult for Usman mentally. However, a title fight of such a huge magnitude would certainly bolster the names of both champions participating.
Just like GSP, if Kamaru Usman jumped up in weight successfully, his fighting abilities would be lauded indefinitely. Usman should move up in weight to cement his legacy as one of the best by fighting Israel Adesanya.
