Usman is back with a plan to take on the new generation

When Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley archetypal squared disconnected this week, up of their welterweight clash astatine UFC Fight Night wrong Atlanta's State Farm Arena (10 p.m. ET connected ESPN/ESPN+; prelims astatine 7 p.m. ET connected ESPN+), the 31-year-old contender had a question for the 38-year-old erstwhile champion.

"How's it consciousness going up against the caller gen?" Buckley asked.

Buckley's occupation is to fight, of course, but successful that moment, helium straight addressed the astir pressing taxable of this full lawsuit to the lone idiosyncratic holding the answer.

Nearing 40 and much than 3 years removed from his past win, what does Usman person left? Can helium inactive beryllium a origin successful the 170-pound rubric picture? Or is helium astir to go cannon fodder for idiosyncratic similar Buckley, who enters the play connected a six-fight winning streak and who publically called for this circumstantial matchup astatine the extremity of past year?

Usman, who hasn't fought since October 2023, declined to respond to Buckley's probe. When asked astir it later, helium said, "I'm conscionable f---ing tired. Why bash I request to beryllium talking? On Saturday, we're going to beryllium locked successful [the Octagon], and that's erstwhile I'm going to bash the talking."

Three years ago, Usman was a UFC champion and widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound combatant successful the world. He suffered a Hail Mary, caput footwear knockout successful the last infinitesimal of a five-round rubric combat against Leon Edwards connected Aug. 20, 2022, and has struggled to find his footing since. He mislaid to Edwards successful an immediate rematch successful March 2023 past came up abbreviated successful a short announcement fight against Khamzat Chimaev that October.

He has been sidelined since, saying helium took clip to absorption connected nonfighting aspects of his beingness and "little injuries that were nagging" portion helium was an progressive champion. He besides was waiting for the close opportunity. More abbreviated announcement fights were thrown his mode -- which helium entertained, due to the fact that helium says helium loves redeeming the time for the UFC -- but yet helium opted to clasp retired for a concern that puts him successful what helium believes is the champion presumption to win.

"We privation to decorativeness this the close way," Usman told ESPN of his warring career. "Rather than conscionable leap successful determination connected a week's notice."

If Usman upsets Buckley -- arsenic of Friday helium is simply a +230 betting underdog, according to ESPN BET -- his aspirations are inactive those of a combatant precise overmuch successful his prime. He wants to look the victor of an expected but unconfirmed rubric combat betwixt welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena and erstwhile lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. And if helium were to get the combat and reclaim the belt, helium would bash thing helium ne'er came earnestly adjacent to doing during his archetypal rubric reign: determination up to situation for a 2nd belt.

"I'll laic retired the program close here," Usman said. "Finish Buckley this weekend, past hold for the victor of Islam and [Della Maddalena]. Who wouldn't bargain a summons to the erstwhile pound-for-pound [Usman] against the existent pound-for-pound [Makhachev]? I deliberation that's thing Islam and I would some retrieve forever.

"Win that, astir apt vacate and spell enactment myself against [middleweight champion] Dricus Du Plessis oregon Khamzat Chimaev."

It's the nonstop mindset you privation to spot from a returning erstwhile champion who was quiescent astir his warring aboriginal during his layoff. There volition apt beryllium skepticism astir however realistic Usman's program is, but if helium looks similar the champion helium erstwhile was Saturday, determination volition beryllium caller questions.

For now, there's lone one: How does helium consciousness going up against the caller gen?