Usman: UFC title fight vs. Makhachev 'a no-brainer'

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman believes it makes the most sense for the promotion to give him the next title shot against newly crowned champ Islam Makhachev.

Usman is one of several options for Makhachev, who captured the 170-pound title with a dominant win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 this past weekend in New York. Usman, who held the belt from 2019-22, said he thinks this is the perfect time for him and Makhachev to square off - and that there's a good chance the UFC will grant him his wish.

"I think the chances (of the fight happening next) are great," Usman told ESPN's Brett Okamoto. "The time would be now to fight for the title. What does it do by having me fight (someone like) Michael Morales? I'm still in the same position as I am now. ... There's a lot of guys in the welterweight division that could potentially put their name in that hat ... but this is also an entertainment company. You want to do the biggest, baddest fights. I think it's a no-brainer here."

Makhachev said after UFC 322 that he'd prefer to make his first title defense against Usman, though the promotion has yet to make any decisions regarding the matter. Several other top welterweights competed at Saturday's event, including Morales, who finished Sean Brady in the first round, and Carlos Prates, who scored a highlight-reel knockout of former champion Leon Edwards. They both could also be in the mix for a crack at Makhachev's title.

Usman, one of the greatest welterweights of all time, went on a three-fight losing streak when he dropped the title to Edwards in 2022. But he got back on track earlier this year with a dominant win over rising contender Joaquin Buckley.

Usman said that the stakes would be massive in a bout against Makhachev, calling the potential fight "pound-for-pound versus pound-for-pound."

"Who is the pound-for-pound? Who is the greatest welterweight?" Usman said. "I think that question will be answered in that fight."