Kamaru Usman remembers being at Tyron Woodley’s after-party having one thought as the new UFC welterweight champion celebrated his title.
Standing there with Rashad Evans after Woodley’s shocking first-round knockout of Robbie Lawler in 2016, Usman wondered when he’d usurp the throne.
“The whole time, all I could think of was, ‘Man, I’m going to take this belt from this guy some day,'” Usman told MMAjunkie. “‘I don’t know how I’m going to do it yet … but I’m going to get the belt from that guy.'”
As long as they’ve known each other, this is how it’s been for Usman. Until the UFC belt got within reach, however, he kept his thoughts to himself.
Usman (14-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) and Woodley (19-3-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) aren’t necessarily friends, Usman said, but they’ve been cool and cordial over the years. Colleagues on the same path to greatness and wealth.
It still didn’t change anything about Usman’s ultimate goal.
“I don’t think he realized it, but I always sized him up, every time,” said Usman, who’s shot comes Saturday in the UFC 235 co-headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Standing across from the champ at a recent press conference for their was a different experience for Usman. But it’s one he’s pictured for a long time.
“My moment is here, and when we met, it just re-invigorated the thought that was in my head,” Usman said. “This is the guy that we signed up for years and years…and now the moment is here.”
Woodley has so far fended off all the challengers to his belt, taking on striking specialists and submission artists to hold the belt over four fights. Usman, meanwhile, remains undefeated in the octagon after nine fights and secured his title shot with a dominant win over ex-lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos, which convinced the UFC to let him skip past ex-interim champ Colby Covington.
As close as he and Woodley have been, Usman believes he’s not the only one that’s been keeping tabs on a colleague.
“Tyron knows,” Usman said. “He’s been paying attention to me for a long time, because he knew that I was going to be that guy that he was going to have to defend against. He knew that I was going to be the toughest guy that he would have to face. He and I both know that. I’m expecting a war. That’s the most I can say about it.”
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