Nigerian-American mixed martial artist Kamarudeen “Kamaru” Usman last night won the 170-pound title at UFC 235 when he defeated Tyron Woodley in a stunning 5-round fight that took place at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts competition and the largest MMA promotion company in the world featuring the highest-level fighters on the roster.
The 31-year-old lived up to his nickname “The Nigerian nightmare,” dominating the co-main event and eventually taking home a unanimous decision win (50-44 twice, 50-45) after 5 rounds, becoming the first African to win an UFC title.
Commenting after his win, Usman said, “I have been wanting this fight. I will be honest, I might not be the best striker in the world, I might not be the best pure wrestler in the world, but when it comes to mixing this sh– up, I’m the f–ing best welterweight on the planet right now.”
Usman and his family immigrated from Nigeria to Arlington, Texas, when he was 8 years old. He started wrestling in High- School and continued throughout college. He made his professional MMA debut in November 2012 and compiled a record of 5–1, competing for several regional promotions before trying out for The Ultimate Fighter in early 2015.
