Kamaru Usman will be ‘waiting’ for Khamzat Chimaev once he proves himself title-worthy

Khamzat Chimaev (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) might be the talk of the town right now, but Kamaru Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) wants to remind ‘Borz’ and the rest of the world who’s king.

Usman, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, was asked about a potential title fight against Chimaev during a recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show.

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is open to a conversation with Chimaev and his team but only after the Allstar Training Center product proves himself title-worthy with a win over a top contender.

“There’s a reason there’s a structure to get here,” Usman said (h/t MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin). “So he’s done great with the opposition that he’s been presented, and by the time he gets here, once he gets here, of course we’ll have that conversation. But I am the champion. I am the pound-for-pound best in the world. I am the king of the castle. Everybody wants a piece of me. So that’s good. I like that.

“There was a time when I was coming up and I just couldn’t get those fights, I couldn’t get the next guy to step in there with me. But now that I’m at the top, I don’t have to do that. These guys have to call me out and these guys have to come to me. When they make it up here, I’ll be here waiting.”

Chimaev is teased to take on former title challenger and No. 2-ranked welterweight Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 after both fighters verbally agreed to the matchup on social media earlier this week.

A win over Burns would likely catapult Chimaev into title contention where the Chechnan would then sit out and wait to fight the winner of the proposed welterweight title matchup between Usman and Leon Edwards on July 2.

Usman is currently recovering from hand surgery and will likely return to the Octagon to defend his title against ‘Rocky’ once fully recovered.