Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has expressed confidence that he could have defeated some of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history, including Canadian legend Georges St-Pierre, had they competed against each other during their respective primes.
Usman made the remarks during an episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast, which he co-hosts with fellow former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, while discussing the long-running debate over who deserves to be regarded as the greatest fighter of all time.
The Nigerian-born fighter argued that comparing athletes across different generations is difficult because mixed martial arts continues to evolve, with fighters developing new techniques and improving their abilities in different areas.
According to Usman, rather than identifying one undisputed greatest of all time, fighters should be recognised for dominating the era in which they competed.
“There is no greatest of all time. There is a greatest of your time,” he said, explaining that different generations possess distinct skills and approaches to the sport.
Despite his admiration for St-Pierre, widely regarded as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history, Usman maintained that he had the ability to defeat the Canadian during his own competitive peak.
Usman, however, clarified that his position was based on his confidence as a competitor rather than a claim that the outcome was guaranteed.
He also acknowledged that St-Pierre, known for his exceptional fighting ability, would likely have held a similarly strong belief in his own chances against opponents from different eras.
Usman established himself as one of the UFC’s most dominant welterweight champions after defeating Tyron Woodley in March 2019. He went on to make five successful title defences before losing the championship to Leon Edwards in August 2022.
Known by his nickname, the Nigerian Nightmare, Usman remains one of the most accomplished Nigerian-born fighters in UFC history.
His comments have added fresh fuel to the debate over how fighters from different generations should be compared, particularly when assessing the legacies of champions whose careers unfolded under different competitive conditions.
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