Ahead of his return to action this weekend, Kamaru Usman seems to have somewhat of an escape plan in mind when his UFC run ends — and it all begins in Tinseltown.
Usman, who headlines the Octagon’s return to Atlanta this weekend, will snap a two-year hiatus from action in another headliner with the Dana White-led outfit.
Drawing the surging Joaquin Buckley, Usman has admitted he can see the light at the end of his Octagon tunnel — which may come before the end of next year.
Staking his claim for a title super fight with Islam Makhachev by next year, Usman looks to exit his tenure in the sport in a blockbuster pairing. But to boot, this obviously would not mark the first blockbuster the Auchi native has featured in. Even outside of the Octagon, too.
Making his acting debut in the critically acclaimed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Usman played a naval officer in the award-winning movie, and is slated to make his return in the series’ upcoming sequel.
That same year, Usman also made his entertainment debut in a music video by featuring in B. D’or by award-winning performer, Burna Boy and WizKid. Usman seems to have a future outside the Octagon awaiting him — that’s if he wants.
The former welterweight champion gushed over the dedication those who work on film and television have towards their craft.
Usman’s praise of actors dedication
Speaking candidly of his role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the former welterweight kingpin noted that the toll of being on set for filming for such a long period can take on actors.
“I didn’t go into it with the expectation of ‘Oh everyone…I need to be seen in this movie so I can continue to get roles and do things, you know. I understand. I am a UFC welterweight fighter, and that’s my first job, and so with this, it was just a cool experience to be able to see it,” Usman said during an interview with ESPN.
“I was able to see such professionals work, some of the biggest professionals do their scenes over and over again with the same intensity, 13 hours a day,” he said.
Yet to book his next acting outing, it seems that Usman surely wants to explore that avenue once his career comes to a close — it’s all there for the taking for the former pound-for-pound number one.
But in the meantime, he’s got a pivotal clash with the surging, Buckley — and potentially stablemate, Makhachev, awaiting him with a win in Georgia tomorrow.
