Kamaru Usman has beaten some of mixed martial arts’ biggest names – in their prime.
He holds wins against Rafael Dos Anjos, Colby Covington and beat Tyron Woodley for the welterweight belt in 2019.
Now he faces Jorge Masvidal, who has enjoyed the best 18 months of his career. Usman is yet to meet his equal in the octagon so far and will look to make another huge statement at UFC 251 on Fight Island.
What is Usman’s record?
Currently it’s 16 wins and one loss. Seven of those successes have come via knockout and one via submission. Currently, he is on a 15-fight win streak.
Why is he called The Nigerian Nightmare?
Usman was born in Nigeria, but moved to the US at the age of eight when his family migrated.
He began wrestling at high school in Texas and was one of the country’s best prospects throughout college.
“While I was there I started to get different offers and different chances to help other professional fighters,” he told the BBC in 2019.
“It was kind of time to make a switch and not just be a wrestler any more, but to be a fighter and to go and make a living for not just myself but my family as well.”
“This nickname symbolises the greatest athletes all over the world in different sports that are Nigerian born,” he said.
“It was the rightful nickname. I was the first one in the sport at this calibre, at this level, so when it was time to choose a nickname it was the only fitting one.”
His nickname is shared with Nigeria-born former NFL star Christian Okoye.
When did he make his UFC debut?
An NCAA Div. II wrestling champion, Usman begun fighting professionally in 2012 before winning season 21 of the promotion’s reality show, The Ultimate Fighter in 2015. He has since enjoyed an 11-fight win streak.
Another victory would tie him with Georges Saint-Pierre for longest UFC welterweight win streak.
How long has he been welterweight champion?
The champion wrestler dominated Woodley at UFC 235 in 2019 to become the promotion’s first African-born champion.
Joe Rogan called it ‘one of the most spectacular performances’ he has ever seen in his career as a commentator.
How hard does he hit?
He fought and beat Covington in December at UFC 245 in his last fight – and first title defence – breaking his opponent’s jaw in the process.
A dominant all-rounder, he is yet to fight someone capable of mixing it up with him in the cage.
“I’m the best in the world,” he boasted after his most recent win.
Has he fought Masvidal before?
No, though, the two have been feuding for a while. In a post-fight interview in December, Usman cheekily asked the ESPN broadcasters who Masvidal was when asked if would be willing to defend his title against him. This led his UFC 251 opponent to create a video package of himself in response.
They also clashed publicly at a Super Bowl event earlier in the year and were separated by an army of security guards and various other people within their entourages.
