Dana White has been doing a lot of media interview ahead of UFC 278. With the athlete pay remaining in focus due to his unfortunate GQ interview in addition to Luke Rockhold’s comments, White was happy to be asked anything else for once.
Kamaru Usman has long reigned as the champion of Welterweight and he’s also held on to the Pound for pound crown in the rankings as well. While Usman had no support from White when it came to big money exhibition against Canelo, Usman has White’s vote of confidence to move up in weight.
Aaron Bronsteter interviewed White and got the following nugget out of him:
“He’s the greatest welterweight of all time. If he wants to move to heavyweight I’ll go I’ll let them do it.”
“I wouldn’t tell them no, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. But I’m not as manager I’m not as Trainer I’m not as honest promoter. And let me tell you what what I was saying yesterday at the press conference about Kamaru Usman, this guy fights all the time.”
“Never turns down the fight never backs down from anybody, has to fight guys two times in a row and never says no man. So why would I say no to him?”
Of course White is perhaps looking to kill two birds with one stone here – for Usman to move to heavyweight he would have to contend against fellow ‘African King’ Francis Ngannou – at least until December at which point Ngannou will become a free agent.
Usman recently pitched an idea to move to light heavyweight and face MMA legend Jon Jones.
He expressed his plans at a press conference before UFC 278. He said,
“We’ve got to chill with these scenarios now, “Nah, Jon is Jon, he’s big as hell, which is why he can easily make that transition to heavyweight. If the money’s right, I’ll try my luck, but Jon is great. Jon is a fantastic competitor and definitely in that conversation as the best-ever.”
UFC veteran Jon Jones moved to the heavyweight division after leaving his previous 205 division in 2020. Jones is waiting for the right opportunity to debut in the heavyweight category.
Usman wants to take a page out of Adesanya’s book and not put on any extra weight for his light heavyweight debut:
“I don’t need to put on no weight,” Usman said. “People don’t understand what my death grip is like. I can get around you. I don’t care whether you’re heavyweight or 205, they understand what my strength is. ”
It should be noted that this approach cost Adesanya his one and only loss in MMA. Adesanya was defeated by Jan Blachowicz during his shot at a light heavyweight belt.