Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman stated that he did not become the middleweight champion because Israel Adesanya could have the belt at the time.
It stings that I didn’t become double champion but it doesn’t sting that I didn’t go up and fight Israel. I just genuinely, and I stand by it, I just genuinely had no desire to be the potential reason why Israel [Adesanya] — another Nigerian — was not a UFC champion. Not to say I was gonna beat him up or whatever but I just had no interest in being the reason why there potentially was not another Nigerian UFC champion. Had it been Sean Strickland, 1000 percent I was moving up (laughs).
Kamaru Usman, quoted by MMA Fighting
The 36-year-old Usman fought against Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event of UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in October 2023. In this bout, Khamzat secured a victory by majority decision. Usman has 20 wins and four losses to his name.
The 34-year-old Adesanya's last fight took place in September 2023 at UFC 293, where he lost to Sean Strickland by unanimous decision. He has 24 wins and three losses in his career.