Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo might be co-hosts on their ‘Pound4Pound’ podcast, but that doesn’t mean they agree on everything—especially when it comes to who would win in a fight between them. In a hilarious back-and-forth, the two former UFC champions are now essentially debating who would be the pound-for-pound better fighter between them.
Both fighters have serious credentials to back up their claims. Cejudo is not only a former two-division UFC champ but also an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling—one of the most accomplished combat sports athletes ever. Usman, on the other hand, is widely regarded as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history, racking up five title defenses in just two years.
With both men boasting elite wrestling, championship experience, and a competitive mindset, the question remains—who would actually win?
Cejudo was happy to remind Usman of his accomplishments, citing them as the reasons why he was the favorite to win this fantasy matchup. Tooting his own horn, he said,
“I got a gold medal (Olympics) and I got two belts. I got two belts. You never went up and fought for that second belt and I did it Kamaru. So I am going to say, the ‘Triple C’ all the way, no contest.”
Usman responded in the most gangster way he could and asserted,
“I am just going to be honest, in a fight I am beating your a*s.”
Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. pic.twitter.com/89wC6deBwC
— MMAFanatic (@FanaticMma10) February 15, 2025
Unfortunately, there’s a pretty big weight gap between Usman and Cejudo, so we’ll probably never get to see them actually throw down. And honestly, Cejudo is nearing the end of an incredible career anyway, so he’s got bigger things to focus on.
Usman, on the other hand, is still sticking around the welterweight division, though he hasn’t been too active lately. His last fight was in October 2023, when he took a short-notice bout against Khamzat Chimaev and came up short.
Since then, he’s been laying low, but knowing Usman, it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in the mix.
What is next for Usman?
Even though Usman would jump at another title shot, champion, Belal Muhammad isn’t too keen on that idea. He feels that when Usman was the champ, he wasted opportunities on rematches on journeymen like Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
Plus, with Shavkat Rakhmonov knocking on the door for a title shot and rising stars like Ian Garry making waves, it seems like Usman’s reign at the top might be winding down.
View this post on Instagram
But can Usman defy the odds and make one last run for the title? To do that, he’ll need to accept that a direct title shot isn’t in the cards. The former welterweight champion will have to take on a couple of fights to prove he’s still got what it takes.
If he can string together some impressive wins, he might just find himself back in contention. It’s a tough road, but with his experience and determination, you can’t count him out just yet.
Of course, the discourse around the division might drastically change if lightweight champion Islam Makhachev decided to take a run at the 170 lbs title like he has wanted to for quite some time. This would mean, Belal would have to move up to 185 lbs, opening up the welterweight division to a plethora of permutations and combinations.
Usman will hope to make it back to the top before this shift happens.
