According to UFC President Dana White, Kamaru Usman has, indeed, been promised a title shot at UFC 235. Who he’ll face remains to be seen.

Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told MMAjunkie Radio on Wednesday that the contract his client signed (and tweeted) was the real deal, and that “The Nigerian Nightmare” will compete for welterweight gold at the March 2 pay-per-view event in Las Vegas.

“Usman signed a bout agreement,” Abdelaziz told MMAjunkie. “We signed a contract. One hundred percent, Woodley is fighting Usman. Las Vegas. March 2.”

However, according to White, the only part of that statement not entirely accurate is champion Tyron Woodley’s involvement.

“That fight is happening or Usman vs. someone for the title,” White told MMAjunkie via text message.

White previously revealed an attempt to book Woodley vs. Colby Covington at the since-canceled UFC 233 event in January, admitting frustration that he couldn’t get the champ to make a commitment and hinting the organization could go in a different direction.

“So, you know what happens?” White said earlier this month. “The world moves on without you, boys.”

According to Abdelaziz, that gave his client the perfect opportunity to step in and fight for the belt – whether it be against Woodley, Covington or anyone else.

“Brother, I don’t need to wait on Woodley,” Abdelaziz said. “He’s the UFC champion. First of all, he was ready to fight Colby Covington, just to be fair to Woodley, because I think we’re not fair to Woodley sometimes. I believe he’s one of the greatest welterweights of all time, my opinion. But I think right now he was ready to fight Colby Covington, and he was the interim belt. Colby Covington said, ‘No, my nose hurts.’

“Usman just had a crazy performance over (Rafael dos Anjos), five-round domination. How do you not give it to him? And he was willing to fight Colby Covington in January and February, but Covington said no. That’s why I went to Dana and said, ‘He said no. We’re ready to fight now, injured.’ Shout out to the UFC. I think sometimes we smash the UFC, but I’ve got to give them a shoutout for giving the guys the titles they deserve, and Usman (expletive) deserves it.”

Covington, in a text message to MMAjunkie, simply shrugged off the notion that Usman belongs in the conversation about a 170-pound title fight.

“Listen John, UFC fans are dumb, but they aren’t stupid,” Covington said. “If the marquee doesn’t say Covington vs. Woodley, then it ain’t a title fight. Print that.”

MMAjunkie was not immediately able to reach Woodley, though he did take to Twitter to express his desire to face Covington.

I asked my boss for one thing for Christmas! Didn’t see the bout agreement under my tree @ColbyCovMMA must have bitched out again! @ufc pic.twitter.com/dHmaRomFrT — Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) December 26, 2018

For Abdelaziz, it doesn’t matter who ultimately signs on the dotted line opposite his client.

“Usman will be the welterweight champion in 2019, and he’s going to be the welterweight champion for a long (expletive) time,” Abdelaziz said.

For more on UFC 235, visit the UFC Rumors section of the site.