Conor McGregor is targeting a fight with Kamaru Usman, but UFC color commentator Joe Rogan doesn’t sound so sure that that’s a good idea for the SBG Ireland talent and UFC superstar.
McGregor has been away from competition, recuperating from the broken leg he suffered in his third fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 this past July. Now almost fully recovered, the ‘Notorious’ one could return to the Octagon as soon as the summer, with an opponent yet to be determined. Although he originally targeted names in the lightweight division, including reigning champion Charles Oliveira, the former champ-champ recently shifted his focus to the welterweight division. And not just anyone that he’s focusing on for a move back up in weight. McGregor has set his sights on Usman, a move that concerns the longtime UFC commentator and podcast host.
On an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan explained why that fight would be a tough outing for McGregor.
“Now he’s talking about fighting Kamaru Usman. Be careful what you ask for,” said Rogan. “Be careful what you ask for. Usman is a big man, and he is top of the food chain right now. That’s the best pound-for-pound fighter alive, Kamaru Usman, and he’s a natural 170. You’ve got to remember, Conor McGregor won the title at 145 and then he went up to 155 and knocked out Eddie Alvarez and became the champ-champ. Then he fought at 170, but he fought [Donald] ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, who’s a natural 155 pounder. No knock on ‘Cowboy’. ‘Cowboy’s’ beat a lot of good 170 pounders. He’s an elite fighter, but Usman is a different thing. That’s a different peak. There’s no oxygen at the top of that mountain. That’s as good as it gets ever at 170.
“I would put Kamaru Usman up against any 170-pound fighter that’s ever lived,” continued Rogan. “I’m not saying that he would beat Georges St-Pierre, I’m not saying he would beat all of them, but he might beat all of them. He might be the best that’s ever been at 170. He’s as good as they get. He’s got ferocious knockout power, he’s elite at wrestling, nobody puts him on his back.”
Usman has kept a firm grip on the division since defeating then-champion Tyron Woodley for the championship at UFC 235 over three years ago. The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ went on to best Colby Covington (x2), Jorge Masvidal (x2) and Gilbert Burns for five consecutive defenses.
Known for his dominance in the cage, Usman has already envisioned how a fight with McGregor would go. He told Rogan two years ago that it could be worse than what Khabib Nurmagomedov did at UFC 229.
“Can you imagine me fighting Conor? That wouldn’t even be fair,” said Usman. “It would not be fair. Everyone has a puncher’s chance, but it would not be fair. You saw what Khabib did to him at 155. Now imagine me doing that to him at 170.”
With McGregor seemingly ruled out, Usman has his next assignment set in a rematch against Leon Edwards.
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