Kamaru Usman is considering retirement following his unanimous decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City last Saturday.
The former UFC welterweight champion came up short over five rounds against the former middleweight titleholder after moving up to 185 pounds in hopes of making a run at a second UFC championship. The defeat marked Usman's fourth loss in his last five fights, dealing a significant blow to his ambitions of capturing gold in another weight class.
Usman, who reigned as UFC welterweight champion from 2019 to 2022, addressed his future during the latest episode of his Pound4Pound podcast, admitting he is now weighing whether to continue competing.
"Listen, I'm just right now, I have to just sit with the coaches, sit with the team, assess kind of everything and assess the place where I'm at in my career and just all in all and just see whether it's worth continuing to do this," Usman said. "Whether it's worth continuing to put them through that because, because listen, I've never really gone out there and not represented them appropriately."
At 39 years old, Usman acknowledged that the decision will not be made lightly, with discussions alongside his coaches and team set to determine whether he has reached the end of his fighting career.
If Usman does decide to retire, he would walk away as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history. During his championship reign, "The Nigerian Nightmare" successfully defended the welterweight title five times and established himself as one of the promotion's most dominant champions before losing the belt in 2022.
While no final decision has been made, Usman's latest comments suggest retirement is firmly on the table as he evaluates the next chapter of his career.
