Ali Abdelaziz wants Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya to fight: “I don’t think they’re best friends”

Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya have both said they won’t fight one another, but Ali Abdelaziz is hoping he can make the scrap happen.

Usman is currently the welterweight champion while Adesanya is set to defend his middleweight strap against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 on February 12. Both men are clearing out their respective divisions and there aren’t many options available but Abdelaziz says Usman will face Leon Edwards next.

“The next victim is Leon Edwards,” Abdelaziz said to TMZ Sports (via MMAFighting). “Great fighter but he will get finished under three rounds. Fact. It’s gonna happen. The welterweight division in the UFC right now is very interesting. Kamaru is gonna beat him. I want him to beat Leon Edwards and then I want him to go fight Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title.”

Although Abdelaziz wants Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya to fight, it does seem unlikely to happen. They both have been vocal about not wanting to fight one another, however, the manager believes it would be a massive fight for both of them. With that, he says he hopes he can help book the fight should both win their next bout.

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“Listen, these guys, they’re cool but I don’t think they’re best friends,” Abdelaziz said about Usman vs. Adesanya. “If there is enough money for both of them to fight, they will fight in the parking lot. I know how people work. This has nothing to do with loyalty, because these guys, it’s not like they’re training partners or brothers. They’re African brothers and that holds a lot of value … but at the end of the day, I’m Kamaru Usman’s team all the way. I want to see Kamaru Usman, before the end of the road, have two titles. I’m selfish, I’m greedy, and I think Kamaru deserves it…

“I know Dana wants it, I want it, it makes sense. It makes a lot of sense. Israel Adesanya goes up to fight for light heavyweight division (title). Israel did not accomplish what Kamaru accomplished. There’s no way. Not to take anything away from Israel,” Abdelaziz continued about Usman-Adesanya. “I think there is enough money for these two guys that (they) would fight. I want to see this fight now. I think fans want it, I want it. I think these two men need to call each other… Mike Tyson told me this: ‘If they’re real brothers, they should fight for them to make money.’”

Whether or not the fight will ever happen is to be seen. Both have been vocal about not wanting it, but money talks, and perhaps down the line it does happen. Before that can even be discussed both men will need to win their next fights.

Who do you think would win, Kamaru Usman or Israel Adesanya?