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Kamaru Usman just might be the most ducked fighter in the UFC. And that’s what makes his UFC Fight Night 129 appointment so much sweeter.

Usman, No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, aims to make a statement against No. 7 Demian Maia in the event’s FS1-televised headliner from Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile.

Usman (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) originally was booked opposite Santiago Ponzinibbio, but an injury forced him to withdraw last month. After several days of wondering the status of the main event, Maia (25-8 MMA, 19-8 UFC) took the fight on a little more than three weeks’ notice, which is just fine with Usman. He now gets to face a well respected, higher ranked opponent (Ponzinibbio is just an honorable mention) who is just two fights removed from competing for the title.

Maia represents the big name that’s missing from Usman’s career resume.

“I’m very excited,” Usman told reporter Laura Sanko during Friday’s FS1 preview show. “This is something that I asked for a couple years ago. It just came to fruition. I’m extremely excited that the UFC got it done. I feel like this is where I belong, with an opponent of this caliber.”

And as he mentioned, in November 2016, a few days before his UFC Fight Night 100 meeting with then-undefeated Warlley Alves in Sao Paulo, Usman made a bold claim to MMAjunkie regarding Maia.

“I want to make it a point in my career to kind of just stomp out all those ground guys and let them know that I am the best grappler in the division,” Usman said at the time. “A win here, and I want Demian Maia.”

Three fights and nearly two years later, Usman, 31, finally gets his opportunity. Overall, Usman hasn’t experienced a defeat since May 2013 in just his second professional bout. Since then, he’s reeled off 11 straight wins, including a seven-fight unbeaten run in the UFC.

Not only is Usman looking for the biggest win of his career against Maia, he’s also looking for style points so he can be taken seriously as a title contender.

“I’m going to go out tomorrow night and throw on a good performance, a spectacular performance wherever I want it to be,” Usman said. “So, I’m not trying to play jiu-jitsu or striking or this and that. It doesn’t matter. I control the fight wherever it takes place. So that’s what you’re going to see tomorrow night, is a spectacular performance.”

In the build-up to UFC Fight Night 129, Usman also has clashed with Colby Covington – both in person and on social media. In his most recent bout, Covington (13-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) traveled to Sao Paulo to defeat the Brazilian Maia in his backyard via unanimous decision.

That victory – and ensuing controversial anti-Brazilian tirade – proved to be the springboard to Covington receiving an interim title shot against Rafael Dos Anjos next month at UFC 225 in Chicago.

Is Usman looking to show up Covington with an even better performance against Maia?

“No, it has nothing to do with him. He’s behind me,” Usman said. “I don’t even worry about him. All I worry about is the task at hand, and that’s Demian Maia and putting on a spectacular performance.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 129, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.