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Kamaru Usman’s welterweight championship reign was the most dominant run at 170 pounds since Georges St-Pierre. The Nigerian Nightmare from Auchi defended the belt six consecutive times, improving his striking with each fight while maintaining the elite wrestling that had always been his foundation. His story — from immigrant childhood to six-year UFC reign — is one of the sport’s most compelling.

Background: From Nigeria to the United States

Kamarudeen Usman was born on May 11, 1987, in Auchi, Nigeria. His family immigrated to the United States when he was a child, settling in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He took up wrestling in high school and quickly excelled, eventually becoming an All-American wrestler at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The transition from wrestling to MMA was direct and intentional. His wrestling credentials were elite, and he began building the striking game necessary to compete at the UFC level. He appeared on The Ultimate Fighter in 2015 and won the season, launching his UFC career at welterweight.

The Championship Reign

Usman won the UFC Welterweight Championship at UFC 235 in March 2019 by defeating Tyron Woodley by unanimous decision, handing Woodley his first loss in over three years. The performance was dominant — Usman pressured Woodley for 25 minutes, used his wrestling to negate whatever offense Woodley tried to generate, and picked him apart with increasingly sharp striking.

What followed was a six-defense championship run that featured victories over Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal (twice), Gilbert Burns, and Leon Edwards (first fight). Each defense showcased different aspects of his game — against Covington’s wrestling he proved he could out-wrestle a top-level wrestling-based fighter; against Masvidal he demonstrated his improving boxing; against Burns he survived a dangerous early knockdown to win emphatically.

Fighting Style: Elite Wrestling Plus Improving Striking

Usman’s wrestling foundation is exceptional. His takedowns are among the most powerful at welterweight — his level changes, his physicality in the clinch, and his ability to lift and carry opponents into the fence make him a nightmare for anyone he gets his hands on. His top control once he takes opponents down is comprehensive, using grinding pressure and strikes to damage without necessarily pursuing submissions.

Over his championship years, Usman’s boxing improved to an elite level. His jab became longer and sharper, his right hand developed genuine knockout power, and his ability to set up combinations with feints and level changes became increasingly sophisticated. He knocked out Jorge Masvidal with a straight right hand at UFC 261 in one of the most technically perfect punches in welterweight history — a perfectly timed counter off a level change feint that Masvidal walked directly into.

The Edwards Losses and Legacy

Usman’s championship reign ended in stunning fashion at UFC 278 in August 2022 when Leon Edwards knocked him out with a head kick in the fifth round with less than a minute remaining — Usman had been winning the fight until that moment. The finish was one of the most shocking in recent UFC history.

He received a rematch at UFC 286 in March 2023 but lost a close unanimous decision to Edwards, confirming the title change. The two defeats closed the door on Usman’s championship era, though he remains a top welterweight contender with clear motivation for another title run.

Legacy

Six title defenses. The only welterweight to come close to GSP’s record in the modern era. A fighting style that evolved demonstrably across fights. A story that began in Nigeria and ended (at least in this chapter) at the apex of the UFC’s most competitive division. Kamaru Usman is firmly in the conversation for the greatest welterweight in UFC history — second only to GSP in most rankings, and the case for a higher placement will be made by someone, somewhere, for years.