5 reasons why Kamaru Usman would fail at light heavyweight

#2. His worn out knees will trouble him

Fight fans around the world have noticed the night and day difference between Kamaru Usman's upper and lower body. The Nigerian's torso is well-muscled, featuring both great size and a low body fat percentage. His legs, however, leave a lot to be desired, being visibly thinner than what many expected to match his herculean torso.

Usman has explained the reason behind this as being due to the amount of wear and tear his knees have suffered from all the years he spent as a wrestler. The damage has rendered him unable to do much work involving his lower body. This does not bode well for a debut in the light heavyweight division.

Knee injuries are not uncommon when an awkward turn happens during a takedown. This is more common when smaller wrestlers opt to face much larger ones. A wrong twist while trying to wrestle a significantly bigger opponent can cause a fight-ending knee injury.

The light heavyweight division features heavy low kickers who will demolish his thin, injury-prone legs. Fighters like Jan Błachowicz will pose true threats as the Polish great even injured recent opponent Alexander Rakić's knee with a low kick.

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#1. There is no potential champion he can defeat

It remains unclear who the current UFC light heavyweight champion, Jiří Procházka, will face. However, there are three men Kamaru Usman will likely encounter should he defeat Leon Edwards to challenge whoever will be reigning as the light heavyweight champion by then. Jiří Procházka, Glover Teixeira and Jan Błachowicz make up all three of his potential opponents.

Procházka might rematch Teixeira or face Błachowicz in a fresh matchup. No matter who wins in either bout, Usman will be facing a stiff challenge. Jiří Procházka is too tall and long, and will outstrike the Nigerian from a distance that he will not be able to return fire from.

His jab will be nullified, and his chin will not withstand the level of power that Procházka carries in every strike he throws, least of all because Usman has been hurt by Gilbert Burns and even Colby Covington.

Glover Teixeira will present the kind of Brazilian jiu-jitsu threat to neutralize Usman's wrestling, forcing the Nigerian into a kickboxing bout with a taller, more powerful striker who can walk through his best punches as even Procházka could not knock out Teixeira. Lastly, Błachowicz will prove incredibly difficult to take down due to his brutish strength and improved takedown defense.

The Polish legend immediately digs for underhooks to stuff takedowns and if Usman is unable to wrestle him, as Luke Rockhold was unable to, he will be forced into an ill-suited kickboxing bout where his weak knees will be brutalized by Błachowicz's powerful low kicks and wrestling.