Kamaru Usman: I Could Have Beaten St-Pierre in My Prime

Kamaru Usman: I Could Have Beaten St-Pierre in My Prime

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman believes he had the ability to defeat Georges St-Pierre if both fighters had competed during their respective primes.

Usman made the assertion while discussing the debate over the greatest mixed martial artist of all time on his podcast, Pound 4 Pound, alongside Henry Cejudo.

The Nigerian-American fighter, who recorded five consecutive title defences, acknowledged St-Pierre’s achievements but argued that greatness should be measured within individual generations.

According to Usman, changes in fighting techniques and the evolution of mixed martial arts make comparisons between fighters from different eras difficult.

He explained that modern fighters possess different technical abilities, with younger athletes introducing increasingly complex combinations and movements into the sport.

“There’s no greatest of all time. There’s greatest of your time. That’s what that is: Greatest of your time,” Usman said.

He described St-Pierre as an exceptional fighter who dominated his generation and earned his reputation as one of the sport’s greatest welterweights.

However, Usman maintained that his own achievements and competitive abilities during his era would have made him capable of defeating the Canadian legend.

“I think Georges St-Pierre is great. I think in his time he was the greatest,” he stated.

“And me being the competitor that I am, that I was, I think in my time I was good enough to beat him.”

Usman, who holds a professional record of 21 wins and five defeats, clarified that his position represented personal confidence rather than an established outcome.

He also acknowledged that St-Pierre possessed the same competitive mentality and would probably have believed he could defeat any opponent.

The discussion followed renewed arguments about the greatest fighters in UFC history after Petr Yan’s victory over Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333.

Yan’s successful title defence has strengthened his position in discussions about the greatest bantamweight fighters in mixed martial arts history.

However, Cejudo questioned whether Yan had done enough to enter the conversation, pointing to his single successful title defence.