Kamaru Usman, a former UFC welterweight champion, remains a prominent figure in the division despite a recent string of losses. His name continues to circulate among top contenders eager to challenge him, including Joaquin Buckley, who issued a direct call-out after his impressive victory over Colby Covington, and Ian Machado Garry, who has publicly expressed frustration over Usman’s apparent refusal to accept a fight. However, their hopes for a match-up with Usman may be dashed, as reports strongly suggest he’s slated to face Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia. This highly anticipated event is shaping up to be a blockbuster, featuring several other high-profile matchups.
Usman enters this prospective fight against Maddalena on a three-fight losing streak, a stark contrast to his previous dominant reign. He suffered a shocking head-kick knockout loss to Leon Edwards, surrendering his title in a rematch of their 2015 bout. Edwards further solidified his championship status by defeating Usman again in a close majority decision. Usman then ventured into the middleweight division for a short-notice fight against Khamzat Chimaev, resulting in another majority decision loss. While the losing streak undoubtedly impacts his standing, it’s crucial to note the caliber of his opponents and the close nature of the decision losses, with the Edwards knockout being the only decisive defeat.
The upcoming fight against Maddalena presents a significant challenge for Usman, who will be 37 years old and coming off a considerable layoff. However, Maddalena will also be returning after nearly a year’s absence from the Octagon. The 28-year-old Australian boasts an impressive 17-fight winning streak, including an undefeated 8-0 record in the UFC. Coming off a brutal third-round knockout victory over Gilbert Burns, the fourth-ranked Maddalena sees a victory over Usman as a potential pathway to a title shot. This clash between a seasoned veteran seeking to regain his footing and a rising star striving for championship contention promises a compelling narrative and a potentially explosive encounter.
UFC 312 is poised to be a stacked card, with several intriguing matchups beyond the Usman-Maddalena clash. The event will feature a middleweight bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland, a strawweight contest between Weili Zhang and Tatiana Suarez, a flyweight fight between Rei Tsuruya and Stewart Nicoll, a light heavyweight showdown between Jimmy Crute and Marcin Prachnio, and a lightweight battle between Quillan Salkilld and Anshul Jubli. Additionally, Tallison Teixeira and Justin Tafa will face off in the heavyweight division, and Tom Nolan will square off against Viacheslav Borshchev in another lightweight contest. This diverse lineup of fights caters to a broad range of weight classes and fighting styles, promising an action-packed evening for MMA fans.
With Usman seemingly booked to fight Maddalena, Buckley and Garry may now find themselves facing each other in a bout that was initially intended to headline the recent UFC Tampa event. This event, officially titled UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley, saw Buckley secure a dominant victory over Covington via doctor’s stoppage in the third round. Other notable results from the event include Cub Swanson’s knockout win over Billy Quarantillo, Manel Kape’s TKO victory over Bruno Silva, and Dustin Jacoby’s knockout of Vitor Petrino.
The UFC Tampa card also showcased several exciting decisions, including Daniel Marcos’ split decision win over Adrian Yanez, Navajo Stirling’s unanimous decision victory over Tuco Tokkos, and Michael Johnson’s knockout of Ottman Azaitar. Further down the card, Joel Álvarez delivered a stunning flying knee knockout against Drakkar Klose, Sean Woodson secured a TKO win over Fernando Padilla, and Felipe Lima emerged victorious with a unanimous decision over Miles Johns. The event also featured unanimous decision wins for Miranda Maverick over Jamey-Lyn Horth, Davey Grant over Ramon Taveras, and Piera Rodriguez over Josefine Knutsson. This collection of finishes and close decisions provided a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 UFC calendar year.
