Dana White has labeled those who do not respect Kamaru Usman’s fighting talents as ‘casuals’ as the UFC supremo lauded the welterweight king after he shattered Georges St-Pierre’s win record at UFC 258.
Usman, 33, defended his 170-pound title in Las Vegas on Saturday night, knocking out former team-mate Gilbert Burns in the third round to extend his dominant run in the welterweight division.
The Nigerian Nightmare’s latest victory means he has won 13 consecutive fights at 170 pounds, bettering former welterweight champion GSP’s record of 12.
In a sport where personality and ego can mask talent, Usman’s credentials as one of the best in the sport are often overlooked, with some fans not convinced by the 33-year-old despite his incredible run of wins.
And White has hit out at those who fail to give credit to Usman amid his purple patch.
‘For anybody to say that Usman’s not (the real deal), you don’t know anything about fighting,’ White said at the UFC 258 press conference via MMA News.
And that’s OK. Maybe you just jump in and you like to watch it because it’s the thing to do, and Conor’s fighting, or this guy’s fighting.
‘But if you know anything about fighting and you don’t think that Usman is, you really don’t know anything about fighting.’
White and Usman are on good terms after the UFC chief had previously been unsure about the Nigerian Nightmare as a serious contender at welterweight.
But wins over Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, and Jorge Masvidal has left White sure of Usman’s quality.
‘If he doesn’t have the respect now, he should have got it after the Covington fight,’ White added.
‘I can’t stop talking about the Covington fight. It’s one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen. Anybody who didn’t respect him after that, that’s your problem, not his.’
Usman’s win has left him with little competition at welterweight, having seen off his strongest rivals on that impressive run. The 33-year-old called out Masvidal for a rematch, with Gamebred taking on the champion on short notice last May.
