UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman returns to action at UFC 251 as he looks to defend his 170-pound title for the second time.
Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) will take on “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal, who agreed to step in on six days’ notice to challenge for the undisputed title following Gilbert Burns’ enforced withdrawal due to a failed COVID-19 test.
It means the welterweight title matchup many fans had hoped to see is set to become a reality on “UFC Fight Island” as Usman and Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) get set to throw down at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Ahead of his main event clash with Masvidal on Saturday, we take a look at five fights that have helped define Usman’s UFC career so far.
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Hayder Hassan at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale – Jul. 12, 2015
Usman’s UFC career kicked off via The Ultimate Fighter, where he formed part of The Blackzilans team that took on American Top Team in a battle of the rival Florida gyms back in 2015.
Usman defeated Michael Graves and Steve Carl earlier in the season to earn his spot in the final, where he faced ATT’s Hayder Hassan. And in a fight that saw the members of both teams surrounding the cage and screaming their support, it was Usman who prevailed as he used his superior wrestling skills to get the fight to the mat before eventually finishing Hassan via second-round arm-triangle choke.
The victory earned bragging rights for The Blackzilians, and punched Usman’s ticket to the UFC as he moved on to join the promotion’s 170-pound welterweight division as a dangerous new prospect.
Watch Kamaru Usman vs. Hayder Hassan on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Leveling up
Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 129 – May 19, 2018
After his win over Hassan booked his spot on the UFC roster, Usman went 6-0 in the welterweight division to earn a spot in his first main event.
His opponent, Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace and former middleweight title challenger Demian Maia, was expected to pose the trickiest test of his career so far, but Usman dominated from start to finish in Santiago, Chile to earn scores of 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 on the scorecards and pick up the biggest win of his UFC career to that point.
It proved that Usman had the skills to level up and challenge the division’s top names, and “The Nigerian Nightmare” declared his intention to capture the welterweight title during his post-fight interview as he stated, “I’m coming for that gold strap!”
Watch Kamaru Usman vs. Demian Maia on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Booking his title shot
Rafael dos Anjos at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale – Nov. 30, 2018
Usman’s dominant win over Maia demanded that he face a top contender in his next fight, and he was matched against former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, where he served up a repeat of his performance in Santiago with another dominant victory over world-class opposition.
Usman’s ability to take the fight to the ground almost at will proved too much for the seasoned dos Anjos, who had no answer to “The Nigerian Nightmare’s” strength and power as he bossed the matchup throughout. One scorecard bizarrely rated it as a close matchup, but most observers saw a near-shutout performance from Usman, with one judge even giving him two 10-8 rounds in a controlled, clinical performance that proved his championship credentials as he earned scores of (50-43, 49-45, 48-47
“I’m a man on a mission,” he said after the win, before staking his claim for a title shot. “Tonight I hope I showed that not only can I go five rounds, I can dominate, and I’m next in line for that welterweight strap.”
The UFC matchmakers agreed, and he was given a title shot in his next bout.
Watch Kamaru Usman vs. Rafael dos Anjos on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Reaching the summit
Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 – Mar. 2, 2019
Tyron Woodley was being spoken about as one of the best UFC welterweight champions in history, and he had looked relatively untroubled during his reign at the top of the 170-pound division. But that all changed at UFC 235 when Usman stepped into the octagon and realized his potential with the biggest performance of his career.
Usman didn’t just beat Woodley, he totally dominated him as he pitched a shutout performance at the T-Mobile Arena to win every round on every scorecard en route to capturing the UFC welterweight title.
Usman dominated all facets of the fight. He looked the stronger, more confident man in the stand-up. He bossed the clinch and he even managed to take the champion to the canvas as he earned scores of 50-44, 50-44 and 50-45 on the three scorecards to register one of the cleanest, most decisive wins of his career in the biggest fight of his life.
After years of struggling to get the big fights and the recognition he felt his skills deserved, Usman had finally reached the summit, and the emotions came pouring out of him as the belt was wrapped around his waist. “The Nigerian Nightmare” had achieved his dream. But after successfully completing his route to the gold, a new path opened up in front of him as he now had the challenge of defending his spot at the top of the welterweight division – and a trash-talking rival was ready to step up and push him to the limit.
Watch Kamaru Usman vs. Tyron Woodley on UFC Fight Pass
Next up: Breaking a jaw, defending a belt
Colby Covington at UFC 245 – Dec. 14, 2019
While Usman was making his way up the UFC’s 170-pound division with dominant performances and little fuss, Colby Covington was building an impressive welterweight resume of his own. But the man known as “Chaos” portrayed a very different personality to Usman as he made his way to the top of the division, with his outspoken persona making him the fighter the fans loved to hate.
It meant that the collision between the pair at UFC 245 last December was must-see TV as the two well-matched, world-class welterweights went toe to toe in a battle of skills and wills in the main event in Las Vegas.
The fight lived up to all the hype as the pair, both known for their wrestling, abandoned their mat skills for the night and went toe to toe in a thrilling five-round clash that did not feature a single takedown attempt.
Covington’s boxing looked slicker and faster, but Usman’s strikes carried more power and did more damage as the pair went back and forth across five breathless rounds at the T-Mobile Arena.
By the time the fifth round began, Usman had broken Covington’s jaw and was chasing a finish, while “Chaos” was desperately looking for a fight-changing final round to take the win on the scorecards. With the fight in the balance, both men threw caution to the wind, and Usman hit the jackpot as he downed his man and finished him with ground strikes to retain his title and halt the rise of his trash-talking rival.
It confirmed Usman’s status as the premier welterweight on the planet, and he’ll be looking to cement that position at UFC 251 when he takes on “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
