Conor McGregor has publicly called out reigning welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, claiming the Nigerian fighter would be no threat to him in the Octagon.

Since breaking his leg in his bout against Dustin Poirier last July, Notorious has been out of action, but he's never been too far away from the headlines, as you expect with the UFC man.

Now, he has named the highest-ranked pound for pound fighter on the UFC roster Usman as his intended opponent upon his return.

Despite his last fight ending with him being humiliated as he sat against the fence, injured and furiously harassing his opponent Poirier, McGregor’s ego is still unfazed, and he believes he has a good chance of securing a belt in his first fight in over a year.

He told the Mac Life YouTube channel: “I feel confident against Usman. A jab happy, sloppy, orthodox wrestler with no submissions whatsoever. What’s he going to do? Where’s the danger here? I don’t see a danger with him.

"His ground-and-pound isn’t strong, plus he’s on the older side. And then plus the world is to be took again. The triple crown.”

Aged 34, Usman is just a year older than McGregor. He has been welterweight champion since defeating Tyron Woodley in 2019, and has successfully defended his belt five times.

Additionally, three of Usman’s title defences have been won by knockout, making McGregor’s critique of the Nigerian Nightmare’s striking technique questionable.

However, Usman’s only loss in his career was by submission, and the Irishman's wrestling comments will no doubt irritate him.

Usman is set to fight Leon Edwards in July, around the time that McGregor is likely to return. If Usman successfully defends his title for a sixth time, he will be only three behind Georges St-Pierre, who has the most consecutive welterweight title defences of all time with nine.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 06: Kamaru Usman smiles against Colby Covington in their welterweight title bout during the UFC 268 event at Madison Square Garden on November 06, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

McGregor, on the other hand, has just three career fights at 170 pounds, winning two of them.

While for Usman, defending his title against Edwards and McGregor would put him close to breaking GSP’s record, a win for McGregor in a title fight with the Nigerian would give Notorious a record of his own.

Having already been champion at both the lightweight and featherweight division, it would see McGregor become the only fighter in UFC history to secure three titles in three different weight classes.

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However, without a bout at welterweight since 2019, and coming off an injury, McGregor is not to be expected as a contender for the belt anytime soon. Especially in a stacked division, with Colby Covington, Vicente Luque and Gilbert Burns each wanting another shot at the African champion.

McGregor may have to wait his turn, but it would be interesting to see if his prediction carries any weight.