Kamaru Usman has made a name for himself as one of the toughest and most dominant fighters in MMA. The former UFC champion started with college wrestling and eventually reached the top. His physique, strength, skill, and relentless fighting style have always separated him from others in his division.
Let’s take a look at some important milestones and stats that make him “The Nigerian Nightmare” in the octagon.
Kamaru Usman: Statistics and Records
Kamarudeen Usman was born on May 11, 1987, in Auchi, Nigeria, which makes him 38 years old now. Usman is 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and has a reach of about 76 inches (193 cm), which gives him a bit of an advantage in the welterweight division, as it is quite above average. He has a leg reach of about 41 inches, which helps to control distance and perform his wrestling-based game plan.
Usman usually fights in the UFC’s welterweight division, whose ideal weight is 170 pounds. However, he has also fought in the middleweight (185 pounds) division. Usman reportedly maintains a walkaround weight somewhere between 190 pounds and 200 pounds.
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Before switching to MMA, Usman made a name for himself in wrestling at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he became a three-time NCAA All-American. He turned pro in 2012 and has an MMA record of 20 wins and four losses. Usman has three first-round finishes so far and has the most consecutive wins in UFC welterweight history.
Kamaru Usman: Knockouts, Submissions, and More
Out of his 20 wins, nine came from knockouts and one was the result of a submission. Some of Usman’s memorable knockouts came against Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
Even though Usman comes from a wrestling background, his striking is actually more accurate than his takedowns. According to official UFC stats, he has a 52% striking accuracy compared to 45% for takedowns. “The Nigerian Nightmare” lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute and 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes. Usman has a striking defense of 54% and a solid 90% takedown defense.
Usman lands about 63% of his strikes to his opponent’s face, 29% to the body, and just eight % to the legs. His average fight lasts about 17 minutes and 27 seconds, which shows why 10 out of his 20 wins came via decision. It also shows that cardio is not an issue for the fighter.
Over the years, Usman has transformed from a mainly wrestler to a more complete fighter with some solid striking skills in the division.