Kamaru Usman says logistics led to failed Khamzat Chimaev fight booking
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is looking to get back into competition and had a high-profile opponent, Khamzat Chimaev, as his intended target, but the fight could not come to fruition as of now. Meeting with the fans during a Q&A session ahead of UFC 290, Usman spoke about his road back to competition and expanded on why as of this time, a fight against Chimaev is not happening.
Kamaru Usman says "logistical things" are to blame for him not fighting Khamzat Chimaev.
"I thought I was going to be fighting Khamzat too." pic.twitter.com/VovncRlssm
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 8, 2023
“I’m good, I’m just training. Falling back in love with my routine in training. The last couple of years it’s been kind of chaotic, but falling in love with that routine again. Just like you, I thought I was going to fight Khamzat [Chimaev] too, we’ll see what happens.”
When asked why the fight has not been made yet, Kamaru Usman said there are plenty of logistical reasons the fight has not been booked, but said those issues were not coming from his side.
“There’s a lot of logistical things, not necessarily on my end, why it didn’t happen. Like I said, I’m up here, looking good, feeling good, I’m ready to fight.”
It was just a couple of months ago that Chimaev teased a fight to take place against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 later this year, but as things stand currently, it feels that those talks are nowhere near getting completed. Back in March of this year, UFC President Dana White said the next fight for Chimaev would come at middleweight, not welterweight, after he missed weight for his most recent fight by 7.5 pounds.
After reigning over the 170-pound welterweight division, there’s no telling if the former champion, Kamaru Usman, would invite a move up to 185 pounds whether it be to fight Chimaev or another top ranked opponent. However, according to Usman himself, he’s back in the gym, training, and ready to get another fight and put himself back in the win column.
