All or nothing! Kamaru Usman attempts last card for two championships at UFC Oklahoma — Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation

Jiu-Jitsu Federation: In what was considered his pinnacle in the sport, Kamaru Usman scored in welterweight (77 kg) as one of the most dominant champions in Ultimate history. But this curriculum, expressive on its own, does not seem to be sufficient for the Nigerian's ambition. And the main fight of UFC Oklahoma, this Saturday (18), proves it. After all, as one of the protagonists of the event, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’, as it is known, rises in category to challenge Dricus du Plessis, currently number 2 in the middleweight ranking (84 kg). At the height of his 39 years and already in the last chapters of his career, the onslaught signals a clear intention of the veteran: a last card for a two-time championship in the main MMA league in the world.

And winning two belts in different weight classes was already an old goal of Usman. For more than a year, the wrestler had been projecting a possible confrontation with Dricus du Plessis, his saturday's opponent. Also in front of a former champion, Kamaru can legitimize his validity in the division up to 84 kg with a triumph over an elite athlete and at the physical and technical peak. For this, however, the representative of the ‘Kill Cliff FC’ team will have to overcome some adversities.

Indigestible mission

The first aspect that puts pressure on the Nigerian is the need to win at UFC Oklahoma. Faced with ‘DDP’, it's all or nothing. After all, a setback would represent possibly the end of his chances of eventually re-approaching the middleweight belt — and may even mark his farewell to the sport. In addition, Kamaru fights a battle against time. At 39, he will face an opponent seven years his junior.

As if that were not enough, another factor to be considered is the adaptation to the new weight. To date, Usman has only competed once in middleweight — on time against Khamzat Chimaev in 2023 for being cast at the last minute. Therefore, in the face of rivals of greater physical size and strength, the veteran will have to deal with a rare physical disadvantage, a sector in which he usually stood out among the welterweight

Dricus du Plessis even lavished confidence for the confrontation precisely because he predicted that on the day of the fight he will be stronger and bigger than Usman. Listed some factors surrounding the dispute, it is not a surprise the status of the Nigerian's underdog for the clash. Therefore, to eventually make history with a two-time championship, Kamaru first needs to ‘break the bank’ on Saturday.

Trump Up The Sleeve

But if he defeats Dricus in the main event of the UFC Oklahoma, Usman is considerably closer to the desired ‘title shot’ in the top category. In addition to his name and legacy in the company, the veteran would have an asset up his sleeve in his favor: a victory against the current middleweight champion, Sean Strickland. In 2017, when both still competed with 77 kg, the Nigerian overcame the American talkative via unanimous decision. History can help you create a more compelling narrative for fans and thus gain traction in the fight as the next challenger to the belt.

Selected group

In search of the double championship, Kamaru wants to join a select list of athletes who have managed to win championships in two different weight classes in the UFC. If he succeeds in the goal, the Nigerian would become the first african fighter to reach such a mark. Brazil has two members in the group: Alex ‘Poatan’ and Amanda Nunes. Other legendary names in MMA also make the list: Islam Makhachev, Ilia Topuria, Jon Jones, Henry Cejudo, Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, Daniel Cormier, B.J. Benn and Randy Couture.

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The All or Nothing post! Kamaru Usman tries last card by two-time championship in UFC Oklahoma appeared first in Ag. Fight – MMA, UFC, Boxing and More.

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