Kamaru Usman

Kamarudeen Usman was born on May 11, 1987, in Auchi, Edo state, Nigeria. He relocated to Dallas, Texas, with his family at the age of eight. Usman began wrestling in high school, where he earned the nickname “Marty” and achieved a record of 53–3 in his senior year. His collegiate wrestling career saw him at William Penn University and later the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he became the NCAA Division II national champion at 174 pounds in 2010, finishing the season with a 44–1 record. After considering an Olympic wrestling career, injuries led him to transition to mixed martial arts. In 2011, Usman served as a wrestling coach for Team Miller in The Ultimate Fighter season fourteen, then made his professional MMA debut in November 2012.

Usman built a professional MMA record of 5–1 before joining The Ultimate Fighter 21 in 2015, where he emerged as the tournament winner, securing a UFC contract and a Performance of the Night bonus. His official UFC debut involved a unanimous decision win against Leon Edwards in December 2015. Over the next several years, Usman consistently defeated opponents, often by unanimous decision, showcasing his evolving fighting style that blended collegiate wrestling with improved striking. This progression led him to the UFC Welterweight Championship, which he won in March 2019 at UFC 235 by dominating Tyron Woodley. He successfully defended his title five times against top contenders including Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. His reign as champion was marked by notable performances, earning several Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards. Usman’s control-oriented style, combining powerful grappling and effective striking, defined his time as one of the best welterweights in UFC history.