Kamaru Usman successfully defended the UFC Welterweight Championship against Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC 258.
That win has propelled Usman past Georges St. Pierre for the most consecutive wins in the UFC welterweight division and UFC President Dana White believes it’s just a matter of time before Usman surpasses GSP as the best welterweight ever.
“He just broke his record tonight,” White said at the UFC 258 post-fight press conference (via MMA Junkie). “If you look at what he just did, he broke his record tonight for consecutive wins (in the welterweight division), and if this guy keeps rolling, if Usman can keep doing what he’s doing, he’s going to go down as the greatest welterweight ever. Fact. Just look at who he’s fought and who he has to fight here in the future, it’s undeniable that this guy will go down as the best welterweight. The question is, where will he go down in the history of the sport?”
Usman could become the best welterweight in UFC history, but his three successful title defenses are still six behind GSP, who had nine total before retiring for the first time a few years back.
White believes that a Usman should’ve gotten more respect from the MMA world after defeating Colby Covington at UFC 245.
“This guy’s got nothing but badass dudes lined up ahead. If he doesn’t have the respect now, he should’ve got it after the Covington fight. I can’t stop talking about the Covington fight. One of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen. Anyone who didn’t respect him after that? That’s your problem, not his,” says White.