Kamaru Usman mulls over possible retirement after losing to Dricus du Plessis: “See whether it’s worth continuing to do this”

Kamaru Usman wonders if retirement is the best route following a deflating loss to Dricus du Plessis.

Usman collided with du Plessis in a battle of former champions in the UFC OKC main event on July 18. “The Nigerian Nightmare” was in a world of trouble in the first two rounds and was even wobbled by a big knee. The former welterweight titleholder gathered himself to make things more competitive down the stretch, but he ultimately lost a clear decision to “Stillknocks.”

While the talk after UFC OKC has largely been which weight class Usman would prefer to fight in next, the surefire future Hall of Famer isn’t ruling out putting an end to his prizefighting run. During the latest episode of the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast, Usman told Henry Cejudo that he has a decision to make (via MMAFighting).

“Right now, I just have to sit with the coaches, sit with the team, assess everything,” Usman said. “Assess the place where I’m at in my career. Just all in all, see whether it’s worth continuing to do this. Whether it’s worth continuing to put them through that.”

Usman has long held himself to a high standard, and if he goes back and feels he didn’t deliver a satisfactory effort even in defeat, he might ultimately decide make his exit from pro MMA competition.

“I’ve got to really go back, sit with the team, sit with family and assess and decide,” Usman said. “This is just as difficult of a place to be, when we’ve achieved so much and you’ve got so much highs in the sport, when you start to feel the lows it’s not that great.

“Because you hold yourself to a certain standard. So when you start to feel those things, it just puts you in a really difficult and really tough place to make a tough and potentially permanent decision.”

Usman is 39 years old and the general consensus is that he has nothing left to prove. Usman had five successful title defenses during his reign as the UFC Welterweight Champion. If his career ended today, he’d walk away with a record of 21-5 with 10 finishes to his credit.

Is it time for Kamaru Usman to retire, or do you think there are some worthy fights left for “The Nigerian Nightmare?” Sound off in the comments below.