Exploring Kamaru Usman's Greatest Victories

Editorial by Mike Tycoon

On October 21st, former UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman stepped into the Octagon to face off against the fearsome Khamzat Chimaev. The frightening Chechen-born-Swede is a fighter that has been avoided by many however, the Nigerian Nightmare stepped up to the plate on short notice as a late replacement for the injured Paulo Costa. Whether you're a fan of the 36-year-old Auchi-born star or not, one has to respect his cojones in accepting such a fight, in a higher weight class, on short notice.

While accepting the dangerous fight on nine days' notice has gained him plenty of respect, the bookmakers did not fancy Usman's chances. Websites offering the latest UFC betting odds made the former welterweight king a live +260 underdog for the contest, with Chimaev having the advantage in age, height, reach, and preparation. However, the Nigerian Nightmare should never be ruled out, as demonstrated by these massive wins he has picked up over the years.

Twice Victorious Against Nemesis Covington

Let's begin with Usman's two victories over Colby Covington, which many consider to be his most impressive performance. The two fighters have a storied rivalry, with plenty of trash talk and bad blood to fuel their bouts.

Heading into their first contest, there was plenty to digest. Covington is a fervent Donald Trump supporter, who was president of the United States at the time. Usman meanwhile is an immigrant from Nigeria, and you can imagine how the two went at it on the mic. Let's just say, at times it wasn't pretty.

When the build-up to a fight is filled with such animosity, it rarely lives up to the hype. However, when these two finally stepped into the Octagon on December 14 2019 at UFC 245 in Las Vegas, fans were treated to an absolute slugfest. With both fighters being predominately wrestlers, many expected somewhat of a grappling-based chess match. However, the pair simply decided to trade it out in an evenly matched affair. With nothing to separate the two fighters heading into the fifth round, Usman managed to knock down and eventually knock out his American opponent with just 50 seconds remaining of the contest, breaking his jaw in the process.

Fast forward 18 months and their 2021 rematch was just as intense. Their rematch in 2021 was just as intense, with both fighters unleashing their full arsenal in a five-round battle that ended with Usman doing enough to secure a razor-thin unanimous decision victory to retain his title. The bout was another slugfest with both fighters having plenty of success but in the end, Chaos didn't quite do enough to take the title from his greatest rival.

Silencing the Doubters and Turning Out the Lights on Jorge Masvidal

The global events of 2020 meant that the world was a very strange place to live. However, Dana White and the UFC did their utmost to keep fans entertained when they created "Fight Island" in Abu Dhabi. The company put on a plethora of stacked cards in front of precisely zero fans, with Conor McGregor suffering his first-ever knockout defeat as he headlined one of the cards against Dustin Poirier. Another was main0evented by Usman as he defended his welterweight gold against resident BMF Jorge Masvidal.

In the pair's first bout, the champion was criticized as he neutralized Gambred with a bucketload of grappling. The challenger simply had no answer for it and ultimately dropped a wide unanimous decision. However, with fans being left disappointed by the contest, the pair agreed to a rematch nine months later at UFC 261. With scathing criticism ringing in the Nigerian Nightmare's ears, he was looking for blood.

And blood was exactly what he got. After dominating in the first round, the pair faced off for the second stanza and Usman would leave no doubts as to who the true king at 170 pounds was. He would land a massive right hand that starched the number one contender and left fans the world over with their jaws agape.

Other Notable Performances

Usman's title-clinching victory over Tyron Woodley is also noteworthy. The American had dominated all before him during his three-year title reign, picking up victories against the likes of Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, and Darren Till. As such, he was considered to be one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, but he was no match for the number-one contender. Usman was able to dominate the champion for five consecutive rounds, inflicting a vicious beating on his opponent en route to a wide unanimous decision victory.

Gilbert Burns was also considered by many to be a real problem in the welterweight division, as he demonstrated in a narrow decision defeat to the aforementioned Chimaev in April 2022. Barely a year before that, he stepped up to the plate to challenge Usman for the title however, he was no match for the Nigerian Nightmare. The 170-pound king was dominant once more and that dominance showed in the third round when he picked up the knockout victory.

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