Kamaru Usman Wants to Break GSP’s Record Against GSP

Kamaru Usman is aware of the two biggest contenders on his heels at welterweight, but there is one past name at welterweight who is known mostly as a champion at 170 rather than a contender, Georges St-Pierre, who Usman would like to fight most.

Unfortunately for Kamaru Usman, Georges St-Pierre officially retired from competition last year, but that doesn’t stop him from preferring a fight with St-Pierre over the other two names who are currently in line for a title shot:

“Leon Edwards is doing well. He’s a guy who could be deserving of a shot,” Usman said. “Masvidal, also another guy that could be deserving of a shot. Woodley, if he goes out and gets a couple more wins, he’s deserving of a shot, too.

“2020, the only thing that makes sense, I’m right there about to break the record for most consecutive wins [at welterweight] and I’m the champion. The guy that holds the record, the guy that’s just above me, is Georges St-Pierre. It’s only right that I break that record on Georges St-Pierre.”

The only opponent who the St-Pierre camp has been entertaining is Khabib Nurmagomedov, but Usman, like Tyron Woodley before him, believes that a fight with St-Pierre would be an interesting story: new champion vs. undethroned champion in a new guard vs. old guard clash. And in Usman’s case, the story of the welterweight winning record adds even more sizzle to the fight.

“Think about that fight. Georges St-Pierre has the record, I’m coming for the record and in order for me to break the record, I fight him for the record,” Usman said. “I can’t think of a better way to get that record than to fight somebody like Georges.”

In an era where chasing money fights is the norm, Kamaru Usman has always talked about what drives him in this sport and what prompted him to enter in the first place: the thrill of competition. So naturally, a fight against a man who is the consummate competitor in the history of the welterweight division stirs the reigning champion’s interest more than money according to the champion.

“…I’ve got a lot of respect for Georges. He’s the guy I watched coming into the sport. That’s a fight that a lot of guys dream of. Not just we’re going to get paid, but I dream of that fight as a competitor. Competing against one of the best to ever do it. I think it would be a tremendous fight.”