Usman would ask for McGregor if Masvidal moves on, says manager
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman wants to defend his title against Conor McGregor if a fight with Jorge Masvidal doesn't come to fruition, his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told ESPN's Brett Okamoto.
Per manager Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00), if Jorge Masvidal were to ask UFC for a Nate Diaz BMF rematch, over a Kamaru Usman title fight, they'd ask the UFC to offer the 170 pound title shot to Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA), for a chance to win his third title. https://t.co/CmCD6PlcKb
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 25, 2020
Usman and Masvidal have been targeted to fight for months, but UFC president Dana White said earlier in May that a different matchup could be in the works for the latter.
Over the past few days, Masvidal and Nate Diaz have hinted at a potential rematch of their BMF fight, which headlined the promotion's annual Madison Square Garden event last November. Masvidal beat Diaz via doctor's stoppage TKO.
Lets run it back #theresurrection #andstill
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) May 23, 2020
Pull-up then https://t.co/3Y1Vm7Aq2R
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) May 24, 2020
Hope you upgraded your abs routine #supernecessary pic.twitter.com/pReZQPhKFp
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) May 25, 2020
Usman reacted to a potential matchup with McGregor on social media Monday.
I really don’t understand why you all want this man DEAD!!! I’d shag him in there if I wanted and he’d “DO NOTHIN” FOH 😒 pic.twitter.com/PvawNvX3Ru
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) May 25, 2020
McGregor, a former lightweight and featherweight champion, returned to the Octagon in January and defeated Donald Cerrone via 40-second TKO in a welterweight contest. The Irishman has expressed in recent months a desire to capture a third UFC belt, something no one has done before.
Usman is coming off his first title defense, a fifth-round TKO win over Colby Covington at UFC 245 in December.