Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has cautioned rising star Sharaputdin Magomedov to “slow his roll” following the latter’s bold call-out of Israel Adesanya after UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena.
Magomedov, who maintained his perfect record (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) with a spectacular second-round TKO victory over Armen Petrosyan, had declared himself “the best striker” in the middleweight division while challenging the former champion Adesanya.
Speaking on his ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast alongside Henry Cejudo, Usman pointed out that despite Magomedov’s impressive finish, the Russian fighter had struggled in the earlier rounds.
“My man threw two spinning backfists and got Petrosyan out of there. He had great footwork the whole fight. It’s a bigger version of Zabit. Fantastic matchup for him; a good step up. I know at the end of the fight he called out Israel Adesanya. Slow your roll, buddy, slow your roll,” Usman said.
The warning comes after Magomedov’s post-fight interview, where he boldly proclaimed, “Listen to me. I am the best striker in this division. I will smash Israel, Adesanya. Stay in your seat. This island was captured by a pirate—don’t panic.”
Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo echoed Usman’s sentiments, suggesting that Adesanya’s striking prowess would pose significant problems for the unranked Magomedov. “Israel would break his foundations with kicks,” Cejudo warned.
The 30-year-old Russian’s connection with Adesanya dates back to their kickboxing days in China, where Magomedov claims to have pursued a bout with the Nigerian-born New Zealander.
“I used to chase Israel when he fought kickboxing in China. I was fighting kickboxing there too. Now that he switched to MMA, and now that I’m here, I’m ready to fight him,” Magomedov revealed, adding that he had previously defeated Adesanya’s training partner, Blood Diamond.
Adesanya, who is currently experiencing his first career slump after losing his last two fights, responded to the call-out during a live stream watch-along with a meme-inspired retort, saying, “Keep my name out of your f**king mouth,” while chuckling.
The former middleweight champion lost his title to Sean Strickland 13 months ago and suffered another defeat to current champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 in August.
Despite earning a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his stunning victory, industry observers suggest that Magomedov might need to face other contenders like Michel Pereira or Kevin Holland before securing a fight with the former champion.
The Team GOR MMA fighter maintains he is not rushing for a title shot but instead focusing on securing a bout with Adesanya, who has become his primary target in the middleweight division.