Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has advised rising star Sharaputdin Magomedov to “slow down” following Magomedov’s bold challenge to Israel Adesanya after his victory at UFC 308 at the Etihad Arena.
Magomedov, who kept his undefeated record (15-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) intact with a spectacular second-round TKO over Armen Petrosyan, declared himself “the best striker” in the middleweight division and called out former champion Adesanya.
On his ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast with Henry Cejudo, Usman acknowledged Magomedov’s impressive finish but noted the Russian fighter had faced some difficulties in the earlier rounds.
“My guy threw two spinning backfists and took Petrosyan out. He moved well the whole fight. It’s like a bigger version of Zabit. A great matchup for him and a solid step up. But I know he called out Israel Adesanya at the end of the fight. Slow down, buddy, slow down,” Usman commented.
Magomedov’s challenge came during his post-fight interview, where he confidently claimed, “I am the best striker in this division. I will smash Israel Adesanya. This island has been captured by a pirate—don’t panic.”
Two-division former champion Henry Cejudo echoed Usman’s caution, suggesting that Adesanya’s striking expertise would be a significant test for the unranked Magomedov. “Israel would dismantle him with kicks,” Cejudo stated.
The 30-year-old Russian shares a history with Adesanya dating back to their kickboxing days in China, where Magomedov said he had pursued a match with Adesanya.
“I used to chase Israel when he was kickboxing in China. I fought kickboxing there too. Now that he’s in MMA and I’m here, I’m ready for him,” Magomedov shared, noting he once defeated Adesanya’s teammate, Blood Diamond.
Adesanya, currently in a career slump after losing his last two fights, responded to the call-out during a live-stream watch-along, humorously saying, “Keep my name out of your mouth,” while laughing.
The former middleweight champ lost his title to Sean Strickland over a year ago and was defeated by current champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 in August.
Despite a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for his TKO victory, analysts believe Magomedov may need to face other contenders like Michel Pereira or Kevin Holland before securing a match with Adesanya.
Representing Team GOR MMA, Magomedov insists he isn’t rushing for a title but is focused on a fight with Adesanya, whom he sees as his primary goal in the middleweight division.
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