Kamaru Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, would like to see his client go back down to welterweight for his next fight inside the Octagon.
Usman moved up to middleweight to battle Dricus du Plessis in the headliner of UFC Oklahoma City, but the fight did not go his way as he lost a clear-cut unanimous decision over 25 minutes.
Following the bout, Usman said that he was unsure if he would continue fighting or retire. But Abdelaziz says that his client should keep fighting; he should be doing so at 170 lbs.
Ali Abdelaziz Wants Kamaru Usman Back at Welterweight
Speaking to MMAjunkie.com, Abdelaziz encouraged Usman to drop back down to the welterweight division, where he is convinced he is still the toughest test for current UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
“Kamaru Usman is not gonna retire. He’s been fighting the best guys in the world… He’s not losing, nobody is whipping Kamaru’s ass, he’s always in the fight. I was always against him going to middleweight because I think he’s too small. If he decides to stay, I would like him to go back to welterweight because there are a lot of right opponents for him at welterweight. He was the right opponent for Islam (Makhachev), he was Islam’s toughest fight,” Abdelaziz said (via Bloody Elbow).
Ali Abdelaziz Praises Kamaru Usman’s Efforts at 185 lbs
Though Usman lost the fight to du Plessis, he still hung in tough for five rounds against one of the best middleweights on the planet.
The fact that Usman went toe-to-toe with du Plessis for 25 minutes impressed Usman, whom he referred to as the greatest welterweight in MMA history.
“He hung with a guy that was 20lbs heavier than him on fight day, and I’m not taking anything away from Du Plessis… Kamaru Usman is a future Hall of Famer and the greatest welterweight fighter of all time,” Abdelaziz said.
We’ll see what’s next for Usman, but judging from these comments from Abdelaziz, it seems like he will be moving back down to welterweight for his next fight and leaving the UFC middleweight division behind him going forward.
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