Fighter Focus
Arguably the most complete fighter of his UFC generation. Long the dominant welterweight champion. Pound-for-pound champion and record-breaker. Today in Fighter Focus:
"The Nigerian Nightmare" Kamaru Usman
"The Nigerian Nightmare"
Kamaru Usman
Jugend und Privatleben
Kamaru Usman was born on May 11, 1987, in Auchi, Nigeria, and spent his childhood in his native country. His father was a soldier and his mother a nurse.
At the age of eight, Usman and his family moved to the United States, settling in Dallas, Texas. The family struggled to adjust to their new home, facing cultural differences and language barriers. Usman also had to deal with being the new kid in school and being frequently bullied.
Usman found solace in sports and began wrestling in high school. There, he developed his skills and won numerous awards and championships. He continued his wrestling career at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he also won several championships.
MMA beginnings
Kamaru Usman began his career as an MMA fighter in 2012, fighting in smaller organizations. He made his debut with the King of the Cage organization. In his early fights, he demonstrated his wrestling skills and his ability to dominate his opponents on the ground.
He won his first six fights in a row before suffering a loss in 2013.
Usman continued to fight in various organizations, building his record to 7-1 before being signed by the UFC in 2015. He made his UFC debut in December 2015 against Leon Edwards, winning the fight by unanimous decision. At the time, Usman probably didn't realize that Edwards' name would once again play a pivotal role in his career, but more on that later...
The rise to champion
In the following years, Usman had more fights and built his record to an impressive 14-1. In March 2019, he finally won the welterweight title against Tyron Woodley. This was followed by five title defenses—two fights each against Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, and one against Gilbert Burns.
What's impressive: All but one of his fights against Covington was extremely dominant. Usman is a master like no other at constantly exerting pressure on his opponents. This ability quickly propelled him to the top of the pound-for-pound list.
The Night in Salt Lake City
After the welterweight elite had bitten off more than they could chew against Usman, a new opponent was needed for another title defense. The choice fell on the man against whom Kamaru Usman made his UFC debut in 2015, Leon " Rocky" Edwards.
This decision was criticized by many fans, who felt Edwards lacked the skillset to seriously challenge Usman. Many would have preferred rising powerhouse Khamzat Chimaev as his opponent. However, UFC President Dana White opted for Edwards, as he felt Khamzat had fought too few big names to earn a title shot.
The fight began under completely different circumstances. Almost everyone expected a flawless title defense from Usman, while Edwards had little to lose and, at the same time, a great deal to gain. Edwards dominated the first round and won it. In rounds two, three, and four, Usman proved the critics of this fight right by dominating the Briton both standing and on the ground.
Going into the final round, Edwards knew that a decision victory was no longer possible—he needed a finish to end the fight. Edwards seemed overwhelmed and tired for the first few minutes of the fifth round, until something incredible happened. Edwards faked a left hook, Usman dodged, and moved directly into the Brit's high kick. The miracle was accomplished; Edwards pulled off the coup and knocked Usman off the welterweight throne.
This action couldn't have been better described than the Brit himself did in the post-fight interview: "Pound-for-pound headshot - dead!" With these words, the evening in Salt Lake City, in which fans had witnessed perhaps the biggest upset in UFC history, came to a close.
Connection to home
Aufgrund seiner Qualitäten im Octagon ist Usman in Nigeria zum echten Nationalheld herangewachsen.
Er betonte in Interviews, dass er durch seine Eltern und seine Familie sehr eng mit seiner nigerianischen Kultur verbunden ist. Er spricht fließend Hausa, eine der am meisten gesprochenen Sprachen in Nigeria, und hat auch eine tiefe Verbundenheit mit der nigerianischen Küche und Musik.
Als erfolgreicher MMA-Kämpfer nutzt Usman seine Plattform, um Bewusstsein für Nigeria und afrikanische Kulturen zu schaffen. Er hat seine Kämpfe oft als Gelegenheit genutzt, um die Aufmerksamkeit der Welt auf die Probleme und Herausforderungen zu lenken, die Nigeria und andere afrikanische Länder durchmachen.
Im Jahr 2020 spendete Usman einen Teil seines Gehalts aus seinem UFC-Kampf gegen Jorge Masvidal, um den Opfern der Überschwemmungen in Nigeria zu helfen. Er arbeitet aktiv daran, die Lebensbedingungen in seiner Heimatstadt Auchi zu verbessern und unterstützte beispielsweise den Bau von Brunnen und Schulen.
Usmans Bezug zu Nigeria und seiner Kultur zeigt, dass er ein stolzer Nigerianer ist, der sich für die Verbesserung der Situation seiner Landsleute einsetzt. Er ist ein inspirierendes Vorbild für viele Menschen auf der ganzen Welt, die ihre kulturellen Wurzeln nicht vergessen möchten.
What remains
Usman is distinguished by his fighting style, which many describe as relentless and invincible. He is known for overwhelming his opponents with his extreme pressure and striking power and is also an excellent wrestler and grappler.
In addition to his success as a fighter, Usman is also known for his work as an ambassador for his native Nigeria. He is committed to promoting education and healthcare there and has also worked for various charities.
Overall, Kamaru Usman is an outstanding MMA fighter and an inspiring personality who is committed both in and out of the Octagon.
