Ahead of #UFCChile, hear what Kamaru Usman (@USMAN84kg) said about the possibility of fighting Demian Maia – in 2016.

"My style will trump his style. … I know that I can get him out of there."@DanTomMMA breaks down the fight: https://t.co/6MuEkJdLE0 pic.twitter.com/4ujn4sw477

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) May 16, 2018

“You know what, this is fighting at the end of the day. This is not a football game where high school players are talking to an NFL player. This is a fight. And he’s been at the top for a long time but my style will trump his style. I know that I can get him out of there in the first round.

I know people are looking at me like, ‘oh well you’re only a couple fights deep in the UFC,’. Conor McGregor was one-two fights deep in the UFC before he said he was going to win that title.

Not everybody out here trains with me, not everybody knows what I’m capable of. My coaches know what I’m capable of, my training partners know what I’m capable of and I know what I’m capable of. And I’ve said it. Dana [White], put ’em up and I’m [gonna] get ’em out of there in the first round.”

Never lacking in confidence, “The Nigerian Nightmare” Kamaru Usman is heading into his first UFC main event this Saturday when he takes on seasoned veteran and BJJ master, Demian Maia.

Originally Usman was supposed to be taking on Santiago Ponzinibbio but Ponzinibbio was forced out of the fight just a few weeks ago with a hand injury.

In steps one of MMA’s greatest submission specialists in Maia. Maia is looking to rebound off of two straight losses that snapped his seven-fight winning streak.

Usman comes into this fight on a very nice streak of his own having won his last 11 bouts, seven of which have come in the UFC.

Having called out Maia in the past, Usman will finally get his crack at the perennial top 5 welterweight contender and he plans to make it a short night.

his article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/16/2018