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Kamaru Usman laments failed UFC middleweight title fight with Sean Strickland: ‘1,000% I was moving up’

Former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman has claimed he never had the intentions nor interest in fighting fellow African-born star, Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title during their respective title reigns, however, stressed he laments not challenging Sean Strickland following his September coronation.

Usman, the current number one ranked welterweight contender and former pound-for-pound leader under the promotion’s banner, has been sidelined since making a 185lbs debut back in October of last year in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Suffering his third consecutive loss, however, Auchi native, Usman dropped a close, majority decision loss to unbeaten challenger, Khamzat Chimaev in the pair’s short-notice title-eliminator in the Middle East.