The UFC’s great Kamaru Usman could be heading into a painful exit. The former welterweight champ has admitted he is on the verge of retirement after his one-sided loss in Oklahoma City to Dricus Du Plessis.
The five-round match was not Usman’s most impressive performance as a UFC welterweight, who was once considered one of the greatest in the division’s history. The Nigerian Nightmare took his next beating, with Du Plessis dominating the event and handing Usman another defeat, dropping him to 1-4 on the streak in his past five contests.
During his interview on the Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry podcast, Usman was very candid about his career situation. He said he will discuss with his coaches and team whether or not he should continue. What is more important, Usman said this loss wasn’t like any he had suffered in the years before because he felt he didn’t do a good job at representing himself, his coaches, and his team within the cage.
The declaration has gotten a lot of discussion from fans of the UFC. But is this simply a reaction to a hard loss, or is Kamaru Usman truly prepared to step away from the sport of MMA?
Usman is already a Hall of Fame player at 39 years old. Defended the UFC welterweight title five times, from 2019 to 2021, and was compared to Georges St-Pierre as one of the all-time great welterweights. During his reign as a champion, he was virtually unstoppable with his power, wrestling, pressure, and discipline.
But it’s been difficult to miss the downward trend. Usman has been unable to assert himself as he once did after he lost his belt in an unforgettable fifth-round knockout against Leon Edwards. The loss to Du Plessis could well be the most obvious indication yet that he is coming to the end of his rope.
Usman’s retirement will end his career as a UFC legend. The next battle is going to be an important one, and how he goes through it will be how fans remember the end of his career.
