Usman To UFC Fans: Shut Up About Shavkat!

12/02/2024 02:11 PM

Kamaru Usman is not scared of fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.

Considering "The Nigerian Nightmare" jumped off the couch to battle middleweight monster Khamzat Chimaev on super short notice, I'm inclined to believe him. But bummed-out MMA fans who were hoping to see Usman collide with "Nomad" have resorted to name calling in the wake of their disappointment.

Now the former welterweight champion is biting back.

"I'm seeing people online that go, 'Ohhhh, you scared? You duck him?' Like ... what? This is the same sentiment that I feel like people are doing to Jon Jones," Usman said on his Pound-4-Pound podcast. "It's just like when people, where your fans, or fans of a fighter, don't get their desired wish that they want — 'that's the fight I want' — then it's like, 'Oh, no, that guy must be scared because he didn't take the fight.' Like guys ... shut up!"

Usman may take some of the blame for claiming he "wouldn't shy away from that."

"World champion and defended belts time and time again. 'Oh, he's scared.' Yeah, shut up," a fiery Usman continued. "Just because you didn't get what you wanted? Guess what, it's like your mom telling you, 'No, you can't have that toy today.' You know, 'You can't have that toy so shut your mouth.' Instead, we've got a bangin' fight. We've got Shavkat Rakhmonov taking on Ian Garry."

It was a matter of timing, not fear, according to this explanation.

UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who also held gold at 205 pounds, has come under fire for supposedly ducking interim titleholder Tom Aspinall. Whether or not that fight comes to fruition now that "Bones" has disposed of former champion Stipe Miocic remains to be seen, but it sounds like the champ is ready to close the deal.

As for Rakhmonov, he battles Ian Garry at UFC 310 for the next 170-pound title shot.