TMZSports.com
Kamaru Usman says he has been wanting to fight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson for a while. Both fighters are currently without opponents, so Usman suggests they face each other.
“I’ve done everything there is to do. The only guy that, to be honest, that even makes sense right now is Wonderboy, ’cause he needs an opponent,” 36-year-old Usman told TMZ Sports on Tuesday.
“Wonderboy has been in the sport for a long time and he’s always a good fight,” Usman added.
40-year-old Thompson, a mainstay at the top of the 170 lb. division for years, has a unique fighting style called Kempo, which presents a challenge that excites Usman.
“His style is very, very difficult to fight. He’s just one of those names, he’s in my era, that I never really got to fight,” Usman explained.
Thompson was originally scheduled to fight Michel Pereira at UFC 291, but the fight was canceled after Pereira missed weight, coming in at 173 lbs.
Despite cutting weight and making weight, there has been criticism directed at Thompson for not taking the fight. Usman defends his fellow fighter, stating that it was not Thompson’s fault that Pereira didn’t try to make weight.
“I know everyone is crucifying [Wonderboy] for not taking that fight. But why? I don’t understand that. Why?” Usman questioned.
“People are like, ‘He’s a bitch.’ ‘He’s scared.’ ‘He didn’t want to take the fight.’ Why? We signed a contract, and [Pereira] said he was going to make this weight. He decided not to make this weight, and [Thompson] told him, ‘Ok, I need you to go back and make this weight.’ And if he’s not going to try, why is that [Wonderboy’s] fault? No, absolutely not [his] fault. People need to stop that,” Usman expressed.
“Wonderboy did his job. He came in there, he made weight, he trained for the fight. What more could you ask of him?” Usman defended Thompson.
UFC
In addition, Usman discusses his friend and gym-mate Justin Gaethje‘s impressive knockout victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 291, where the BMF belt was on the line.
Usman shares why Gaethje’s win was significant for their team and coaches.
Check out the clip to hear more!
Frequently Asked Questions
Kamaru Usman wants to fight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
Kamaru Usman believes fighting Wonderboy makes sense because both fighters are currently without opponents. He also sees Wonderboy as a challenging and respected opponent.
Wonderboy was scheduled to fight Michel Pereira at UFC 291, but the fight was canceled after Pereira missed weight. Despite cutting weight and making weight, Wonderboy faced criticism for not taking the fight.
Usman defends Wonderboy by explaining that it was not his fault that Pereira didn’t try to make weight. He believes Wonderboy did everything he could and fulfilled his responsibilities for the fight.
Conclusion
Kamaru Usman expressed his interest in fighting Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, citing the need for an opponent for both fighters. Usman recognizes Wonderboy as a respected and challenging opponent with a unique fighting style. He defends Wonderboy against criticism for not taking a fight that was canceled due to his opponent missing weight. Alongside discussing his friend Justin Gaethje’s recent victory, Usman highlights the significance of Gaethje’s win for their team. The potential matchup between Usman and Wonderboy has generated excitement among fans and observers of the UFC welterweight division.
595880 186965Quite well written story. It will likely be valuable to everybody who utilizes it, as properly as myself. Maintain up the good function – i will definitely read a lot more posts. 139640
706439 228346Cheers for this superb. I was wondering whether you were preparing of publishing comparable posts to this. .Maintain up the excellent articles! 492470