Kamaru Usman confident he can beat Islam Makhachev: ‘Styles make fights’

Kamaru Usman believes his striking and fighting style present a dangerous matchup for Islam Makhachev, even as the former welterweight champ's position in the title picture has slipped.

Makhachev successfully defended his UFC welterweight belt against Ian Garry at UFC 330, winning via unanimous decision in a closely contested bout. After watching the performance, Usman expressed confidence on the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast that he could defeat Makhachev if they fought. "Styles make fights," Usman said. "I'm telling you guys, I can get that done."

Usman (21–5) previously campaigned for a title shot when Makhachev dethroned Jack Della Maddalena last November, and the Dagestani champion acknowledged him as a top threat at the time. However, a 20-month absence from competition allowed contenders like Garry, Carlos Prates, and Michael Morales to leapfrog Usman in the rankings. Usman's recent record has not helped his case: after returning to welterweight, he moved back to middleweight and suffered a unanimous decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis following an earlier majority-decision defeat to Khamzat Chimaev. Before that, he had lost his title to Leon Edwards in shocking fashion in 2022, then lost the rematch. A road back to title contention at either weight class would require a significant winning streak.