Kamaru Usman Eyes UFC 322 Main Event Winner: 'That’s Where I Rightfully Belong'

The Comeback and the Message

After a stretch of injuries and setbacks, Usman returned this past June with a commanding win over Joaquin Buckley, reasserting himself among the elite at 170 pounds. That performance, he said, was a reminder to fans and the UFC brass that he’s still the same fighter who once ruled the division.

“A lot of people were saying time has gone by, he’s no longer the same guy, he can’t handle these new young contenders,” Usman said. “I think I answered those questions.”

The former champ admitted that taking on Buckley, a surging knockout threat, was a risk after a long layoff. But for Usman, that danger was necessary to prove a point.

“Looking at the landscape of the division at the time, Buckley was the most dangerous guy up there,” he explained. “A guy like that with power that could put you out with one shot… I think I showed I can still hang with anybody in this division.”

Haunted by a Minute in Salt Lake

Usman’s current drive traces back to that fateful head kick from Leon Edwards in 2022 a knockout loss that ended his historic title reign.
He hasn’t forgotten it.

“Had it not been for a stupid mistake with a minute left it’s not even a mistake, it’s a Hail Mary that just happened to work we’re not having this conversation right now,” Usman said.

The defeat, he admits, reshaped his perspective but didn’t dull his ambitions. Time off, he says, gave him a chance to heal physically and mentally. Now, at 38, he believes he’s retooled for one more championship run.

The Division’s High-Stakes Crossroads

Saturday’s UFC 322 main event could define the welterweight landscape for 2026. Della Maddalena (18-2) defends his crown for the first time against Islam Makhachev the lightweight champion moving up in pursuit of two-division glory.

A victory by Makhachev would scramble the pecking order at 170. A successful defense by Della Maddalena would reinforce his hold on the division. Either way, Usman wants next.

“Hopefully the company feels I deserve that, I’ve earned that as well,” he said.