Kamaru Usman’s Title Ambitions After UFC 304
Belal Muhammad’s victory over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 prompted Kamaru Usman to discuss another run at the welterweight championship. Speaking after the July 2024 title change, the former champion expressed confidence that he could regain the belt with adequate preparation. He also indicated that he would consider facing a leading contender first, making his comments a statement of ambition rather than an announcement of a booked title fight.
A former champion considers his route back
Sports Illustrated’s contemporary report described Usman discussing the situation on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. He wanted time to prepare for a return toward the end of 2024 or the beginning of the following year. His position left room for an additional welterweight fight before a championship opportunity, rather than insisting that his previous reign automatically entitled him to the next challenge.
Usman’s confidence rested on an established championship record. He won the welterweight belt from Tyron Woodley in 2019 and completed five successful defenses. That history made him a relevant voice whenever the division’s title picture changed, even though it could not erase the results of his more recent appearances.
The losses that shaped the discussion
Edwards took the championship from Usman with a late knockout at UFC 278 in August 2022. Their March 2023 rematch at UFC 286 ended in another Edwards victory, this time by majority decision. Those defeats left Usman needing to rebuild his route to the belt rather than continue the title reign he had established.
His next appearance came at middleweight, where he accepted a short-notice fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023. Chimaev won a majority decision, with scores of 29-27, 29-27 and 28-28. The change of division and compressed preparation are relevant context, but the official result remained a loss.
Opportunity in a changing division
Muhammad’s five-round decision over Edwards created a new championship matchup for contenders to pursue. It did not, by itself, settle who would receive the next title fight. For Usman, taking on another established welterweight could offer fresh evidence of his standing and strengthen the case for a return to championship competition.
The appeal of his comments was the tension between past achievement and present qualification. Usman had already demonstrated that he could sustain a title reign, but a new champion and recent setbacks required a new argument for another shot. Read in their July 2024 setting, his remarks show a former champion considering how to build that argument through preparation and competition.
Sources
- Sports Illustrated: Usman’s July 2024 title ambitions
- UFC: Kamaru Usman’s fight history
- UFC: UFC 294 official results
- UFC: Muhammad wins the welterweight title
Tags
MMA, Combat Sports
