Dana White Comments on Potential Retirement for Kamaru Usman

Getty

Kamaru Usman

UFC president Dana White commented on former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman potentially retiring following UFC Oklahoma City.

In the main event of the evening, Usman lost a five-round unanimous decision to former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, with the scorecards 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 in favor of DDP. The pair won Fight of the Night for their efforts in the outstanding contest.

While Usman’s chin did hold up during the bout, he absorbed 132 significant strikes, including 102 head strikes. At age 39 and having now lost four of his last five fights, there are already calls online from fans, media, and even fellow fighters for Usman to walk away from the sport.

Dana White Reacts to Kamaru Usman Potentially Retiring

Speaking to the media following UFC Oklahoma City, White was asked if he thinks Usman should retire. Here’s what he said.

“Yeah, I don’t know. Obviously, a great fight. Fighting a much bigger guy, and he’s got a great chin. He’s still got it. It’s not like, ‘Oh, Usman’s done and he should retire.’ He had a great fight tonight. So yeah, I don’t know. He’s going to go home, rest, heal up, and figure out what’s next,” White said.

Kamaru Usman Needs to Think About the Future

Based on his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Daniel Cormier, Usman hinted that he wanted to keep fighting. But given he is nearly 40 years old and has lost four of his last five fights, he should at least consider walking away with his wits still about them.

Regardless of what else Usman does in his MMA career, he is one of the greatest UFC champions of all time, and a sure-fire UFC Hall of Famer when it’s all said and done. He was a dominant welterweight for many years, and now he is fighting at middleweight, though he could potentially move back down to welterweight if he continues fighting.

We’ll see what’s next for Usman, but based on the initial comments that both he and White made, it feels like he is not done and that he will fight at least once more in the UFC.