The TakedownUFC: Kamaru Usman’s quiet demeanour and technical fighting style hamper star power in MMA ego vacuum

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ should stand on the edge of superstardom with his prowess in the cage

So why is he lesser known than so many other fighters, some of whom he has convincingly beaten?

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Should Kamaru Usman add some fireworks to his displays of firepower in the ring? Photo: AP

Published: 12:32pm, 12 Feb 2021Updated: 12:51pm, 12 Feb 2021

Kamaru Usman is easily the most unheralded fighter in the UFC.

The 33-year-old “Nigerian Nightmare” (17-1) has been quietly racking up wins at an alarming pace. He sits as the welterweight champion, and the last time he lost a fight was in 2013 – the only fight he’s ever lost.

Usman has defended his belt twice and has been fighting, and winning, in the UFC since 2015. The Nigerian-American has dispatched some heavy hitters along the way, his last three wins being against some impressive names: Tyron Woodley (19-6-1), whom he took the belt off, and Colby Covington (16-2) and Jorge Masvidal (35-14), whom he successfully defended it against.

Where Usman falters in the star department comes down to two categories: one, he is not the flashiest of fighters, his decision victory against a stand-in Masvidal on Fight Island at UFC 251 last July being a perfect example.

Former NCAA division II wrestler Usman broke Masvidal down technically, applying constant pressure against the cage, covering escape outlets and dictating the tempo. Whenever Masvidal would try to break from Usman’s game plan and deliver a flurry of punches, hoping to turn the fight into a brawl, Usman would quickly regain control and smother the American.