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Nigerian Nightmare Kamaru Usman is set for a UFC return against Shavkat Rakhmonov or Stephen Thompson at the welterweight.
Although Shavkat Rakhmonov is the opponent that the UFC wants Kamaru Usman to fight, the former welterweight champion appears to prefer to take on Stephen Thompson.
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Behind-the-scenes video of the promotion's matchmaking was made available in the most recent season of Fight Inc: Inside the UFC.
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Sean Shelby, the UFC matchmaker, was seen giving company CEO Dana White an explanation of the welterweight division.
Shelby was reportedly thinking about Kevin Holland vs. Rakhmonov, but "Trailblazer" wasn't interested in taking on the young Kazakh fighter.
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Usman wants Thompson not Rakhmonov
In the meantime, Jack Della Maddalena, a rising Australian contender, has been preparing for a matchup with Rakhmonov.
Usman, though, was Shelby's first pick to face Rakhmonov.
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It was at this point that White was notified that Ali Abdelaziz, Usman's manager, was nearby.
With the promise of Usman vs. Rakhmonov at UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi on August 3, White hurried over to Abdelaziz right away.
White was taken aback by Usman's opponent selection and seized the opportunity to mock Thompson for withdrawing from UFC 291.
Thompson claimed that although he was initially unpaid for gaining weight and declining to compete against Michel Pereira, he has subsequently received compensation.
Additionally, White reminded Abdelaziz of the very different consequences of defeating Rakhmonov rather than Thompson.
Sitting next to Abdelaziz, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov questioned White about the likelihood that Usman would be selected as the "next contender" if he defeated Rakhmonov.
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Usman is now on a three-fight losing streak, having lost his first two championship bouts against Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev via close majority decision.
It remains to be seen if Maddalena, who is on a 17-fight winning streak that includes seven UFC appearances, will get a title eliminator berth due to Usman's insistence on facing Thompson.
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