Overview
- Usman, 38, said in an interview with UFC on Eurosport that he aims to end 2026 as a two-division champion before walking away.
- He plans to recapture the welterweight belt first and argues his style presents the toughest test for current champion Islam Makhachev.
- Makhachev’s team has publicly backed Usman as a first title defense, though other contenders such as Ian Machado Garry are also being discussed.
- If he regains 170-pound gold, Usman says he will seek a full-camp rematch with middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, who beat him by majority decision at UFC 294 on short notice.
- No bouts are booked; Usman returned from a roughly 20-month layoff with a unanimous decision over Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.