Kamaru Usman needs UFC to fork over some serious cash for a super fight between him and his close friend Israel Adesanya to become a reality. The fan appetite may be there, but Usman is hesitant to collide with his fellow Nigerian champion.
Adesanya recently told TSN that a fight with Usman was out of the question. Usman, the welterweight champion, is generally on the same page but suggests there could be a number worth fighting for. Whether or not it’s a price point the UFC would consider is a separate conversation.
“That’s exactly how I feel. It’s kind of become the topic of the town. Everybody wants him and I to fight. Him and I to fight for what?” Usman told CBS Sports HQ. “Dana, if you really want this fight to happen, if you guys really want this fight to happen, how much pay-per-view are you guys willing to buy? How much is going to be on the table for Israel and I to sit down as brothers and say, ‘Hey, we gotta do this because of mom and dad and we need to make sure that none of us ever have to work again.’
“I think it’s going to take something ridiculous to get us at the table. I have no interest in that fight.”
Shak’s take: Adesanya and Usman are close friends and there is very little incentive for them to fight. It’s fun for fans to theorize about dream matches. Beyond that, it’s time to let the two champions move on. UFC is unlikely to make an offer compelling enough for Usman and Adesanya to do battle.
- Derek Brunson is closing in on the end of his career. Brunson, 38, revealed on Wednesday that he only plans on competing two more times. “I’m gonna sit and wait for a title fight after I win this fight. For sure. I’ve done everything I needed to do in this division. Honestly, I plan on fighting two more times,” Brunson said at the UFC 271 media day. “I feel like I’m lucky and blessed to like, fight in the UFC 20 times, and I’m super smart and got a good brain in my head, so I don’t wanna fight until I can’t fight anymore. I’m in the best shape. I’m feeling good. So that’s all I’m thinking about right now; beat [Jared] Cannonier, beat Izzy [Adesanya], and ride out. That’s it.”
- Roxanne Modafferi is ready to retire. Modafferi, a women’s MMA pioneer dating back to pioneer, will take her bow inside the Octagon opposite Casey O’Neill at UFC 271. “I don’t want to go down that path of brain trauma. I think I’ve been lucky to have 49 fights and not have brain trauma,” Modafferi said at Wednesday’s media day. “It’s not as fun anymore as it used to be. I want to give 100 percent to my fight camps. I feel like I might not be able to move forward. So I feel like now is a good time to change my life… I do feel proud of myself. I’ve done a lot.”
