Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman retained his UFC welterweight title by unanimous decision against Colby Covington.
The bout took place on Sunday at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 268 at the Madison Square Garden, New York City.
As expected, the slugfest was a back-and-forth affair, but Usman emerged one step ahead of Covington’s efforts as the judges scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 in Usman’s favour.
The Nigerian Nightmare got off to a quick start, dropping Covington twice in the second round with precise left hooks. Covington survived after scrambling and taking the fight to the mat in the waning seconds of the round.
Despite being knocked down, Covington bounced back with two good rounds in the third and fourth. He landed some excellent jabs and uppercuts, and nearly became the first person to take down Usman late in the third round.
However, Usman had the upper hand in the fifth round. He was more aggressive and hit more shots to secure the victory, improving his record to 20-1. The build-up to the rematch was once again a savage verbal duel, but both men hugged after the fight.
Usman explained why they finished with mutual respect in his post-fight comments. He said, “When you share an octagon with someone this tough, you can’t help it. That respect is going to come.”
The bout ended up looking a lot like the first, with the exception that Usman was able to finish it in the fifth round. These two were created to compete against each other, and they have now completed ten high-quality rounds.
Usman has already established himself as the top welterweight on the planet, and this victory further adds to his credentials. The first battle he had with Covington was impressively successful, but Usman won that one as well, finishing him in the fifth round.
With a fifth-round TKO of his own against Tyron Woodley, Covington talked and pushed his way to a rematch, but he was not up to the task of dethroning the Nigerian Nightmare.
Usman’s championship reign may not have lasted as long as that of other legends such as Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva, but his ability to stay busy and defeat the best in his division has been astounding.
Of course, there are still obstacles to overcome. Khamzat Chimaev continues to rise through the division’s levels. If he beats Jorge Masvidal in December, Leon Edwards may be on the horizon.
Those opponents might best present their case to dethrone the Nigerian Nightmare as quickly as possible. At 34, Usman has started speaking in the manner of a fighter contemplating retirement in the not-too-distant future.
“As far as me [fighting Chimaev], you know I’m at a point in life where I understand how much this takes from you. I’ve been nine weeks now away from my daughter, and FaceTime does help, but it doesn’t do it justice, as far as being there each and every day. So obviously I don’t know how much longer I’m willing to do this.”
Usman’s dominance has been entertaining to watch and has created a compelling storyline in the division and fans should enjoy it for as long as it lasts.
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