Dana White: Kamaru Usman will ‘Undeniably’ surpass Georges St-Pierre as welterweight GOAT

With his phenomenal win over top contender Gilbert Burns at UFC 258, UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman took his MMA record to 18-1, which now includes thirteen straight wins in the UFC. In the process, The Nigerian Nightmare (13) broke the record of a longest winning streak in UFC welterweight history, previously held by the legendary Georges St-Pierre (12). This forced fans to compares Usman with the future UFC Hall of Famer, who’s also hailed as the greatest welterweight of all time.

While it’s certainly a tall order, many including UFC president Dana White think that the current welterweight champion could indeed surpass Georges St-Pierre in the welterweight GOAT discussions. Dana White said that Usman is already one of the best welterweights of all time, considering he has wins over powerhouses like Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley and many others.

“Just look at who he has fought and who he has to fight here and 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,” Dana White said at the UFC 258 post-fight conference.

Also Read l Kamaru Usman stats: Masvidal slams Usman after champ vows to “Put Him in a Coffin”

Dana White slams "casual" fans for not appreciating Usman enough

Usman’s reign as champion has been nothing short of phenomenal. However, the 33-year-old is still six title defences away from breaking GSP’s record for the most welterweight title defences in UFC history (9). Despite this, White thinks that it is time the casual audience started acknowledging Usman as a dominant fighter and champion.

Also Read l UFC 258 weigh-in results: Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns official, but one bout scrapped

By calling Usman “the real deal,” White added that the true MMA fans know how important a win over Gilbert Burns was for the champion. Burns, who is known for his power, was expected to give Usman his toughest challenge yet. Durinho was also on a six-fight winning streak going into the bout. “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,” Dana White concluded.

Also Read l Kamaru Usman hugs Gilbert Burns who broke down in tears after UFC 258 defeat, fans in awe

Kamaru Usman stats: What’s next for Kamaru Usman?

After the win over Burns, Kamaru Usman called out Jorge Masvidal at the post-fight interview. He said he’s ready to give Masvidal all the time he needs to prepare for their possible second bout as he wants to shut him down for good. The two first collided at UFC 251 where Usman came out on top.

Also Read l UFC 259: Israel Adesanya vs Jan Blachowicz — UFC drops trailer, poster, stacked fight card

Image Source: UFC/ Twitter, AP, Georges St-Pierre/ Instagram