After a perfect 9-0 start to his tenure in the UFC, Kamaru Usman has his first shot at a title tonight.
Usman (14-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) meets welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (19-3-1 MMA, 9-2-1 UFC) in the UFC 235 co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass.
In July 2014, Usman still was on his way up as a pro fighter. After a 1-1 start to his career, he had rattled off three straight knockout wins, including two under the Legacy FC banner to start the 2014 calendar year.
At Legacy FC 33 in Allen, Texas, Usman was matched against a 12-year fighting veteran in Marcus Hicks, whose resume included six fights under the WEC banner and cage time against the likes of Jamie Varner and Shane Roller.
Usman continued his steady rise and took Hicks out with a second-round TKO. The fight wound up being Hicks’ last as a pro – he hasn’t fought since. And it also wound up being Usman’s unofficial tryout for the UFC. After that win, Usman next was seen on Season 21 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which he went on to win a year after his victory over Hicks.
And after that first UFC victory over Hayder Hassan, it’s been nothing but getting his hand raised to the tune of eight more wins and now his title shot on the heels of decision wins over former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and former welterweight and middleweight title challenger Demian Maia.
In our new feature in partnership with AXS TV Fights, take a look at another AXS TV “Fight of the Week” in the video above to check out Usman’s finish of Hicks in full from Allen Event Center.
Then don’t miss his title challenge against Woodley at UFC 235 tonight from Las Vegas.
For more on UFC 235, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
