5 UFC welterweights who could defeat Kamaru Usman

#4 Khamzat Chimaev

While much is said about Khamzat Chimaev's performance against Gilbert Burns, it cannot necessarily be used as a means of predicting how he'd fare against Kamaru Usman.

Chimaev himself stated that the reason behind his decision to abandon his wrestling during his bout with the Brazilian was due to the submission threat Burns posed, describing a sequence on the ground where Burns almost caught him with an armlock.

Kamaru Usman, however, poses no submission threat, so it will not deter 'Borz' from wrestling with him. Furthermore, the Chechen's size and strength are attributes the Nigerian is yet to face.

Chimaev stands at 6 feet 2 inches tall and was strong enough to outwrestle middleweight contender Jack Hermansson in a freestyle wrestling match. In the striking phase of combat, the Chechen contender applies heavy pressure, closing the distance against his foes where his tight hooks can land with optimal power.

As Kamaru Usman relies on the jab, he will struggle to use it if he is not afforded the time and space to throw it. At mid-range, he will be forced to throw more looping punches, which he struggles doing with proper form.

Not only will his jab not be as effective against a taller foe who knows how to fight from close range, he will struggle to impose his wrestling against a larger, stronger athlete with Chimaev's freestyle wrestling acumen.

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#3 Colby Covington

'Chaos' has fought Kamaru Usman twice. Though fans cannot universally agree on the outcome of both fights, with Colby Covington himself claiming to have won the 2nd bout while disputing the merits of the stoppage in their 1st outing, the Nigerian still boasts two wins over the All-American.

However, both bouts were closely contested. The former interim welterweight champion's wrestling neutralized his foe's wrestling and vice versa in both encounters.

Thus, both fights were largely kickboxing affairs, in which 'Chaos' did surprisingly well. He often slipped Usman's jabs and crosses, countering his foe with left overhands and right hooks as he turned in at angles.

In their rematch, Covington even seemed intent on countering Kamaru Usman's jab with calf kicks until the Nigerian switched stances, which neither 'Chaos' nor his team had accounted for.

However, with his new knowledge of his rival's stance-switching, Covington might pose a stiffer challenge should a third bout be scheduled.

Lastly, the All-American is one of the few welterweights with the cardio necessary to keep up with and even overcome Kamaru Usman. Covington's best rounds in their last matchup were the later rounds where 'The Nigerian Nightmare' seemed to slow down slightly while his volume only heightened.