Athletes
Kamaru Usman | Don’t Count Him Out
Despite A Three-Fight Losing Streak, Nobody Should Be Surprised If Kamaru Usman Pulls Off The Upset And Reminds Fight Fans Exactly Who He Is On June 14
“Out with the old, in with the new” is one of the oldest adages for a reason.
Everyone loves the shiny new toy, the bright new face, the intrigue that comes with discovering something or someone previously unknown. As much is true in the fight game. People love to move on to what or who is next up. Even when a champion is established, the discussion tends to move toward where that fighter is situated in the all-time rankings rather than an appreciation for what they have done and are doing. And when it comes to the changing of a guard, other than a handful of established fan-favorites, fans tend to seem eager to usher in a new class of contenders, whether or not the experienced elite is ready to take their bows.
That’s all to say: with all the talk of the ever-loaded welterweight division, it’d be a mistake to count Kamaru Usman out of the title picture at 170 pounds.
Kamaru Usman Fight Week Interview
Yes, “The Nigerian Nightmare” is 38 years old. And yes, he has lost three fights on the bounce, but it’s just not that simple.
It was just a few years ago that Usman was on the precipice of tying Anderson Silva’s record winning streak of 16 fights in a row. And by precipice, he was precisely 56 seconds away from doing so before Leon Edwards landed the head kick of all head kicks to wrest the belt away from him in Salt Lake City. To that point, however, Usman was giving a vintage performance: relentless, dominant and clinical for the better part of 24 minutes.
Usman tried and failed to regain his belt in the rematch, but that fight had the former champion in a difficult spot. Edwards desperately wanted to headline a pay-per-view in England, which meant the two needed to do the dance in March, just seven months after the previous fight. Although that turnaround might seem fine, timelines go out the window when recovering from a knockout like the one Usman suffered. For context, Justin Gaethje and Alexander Volkanovski had 11 and 14 months, respectively, between their knockout losses and subsequent fights. For Max Holloway, who suffered his first knockdown and knockout loss of his career to Ilia Topuria, nine months will have passed when he steps into the Octagon to face Dustin Poirier at UFC 318.
In the fight itself, Usman fought well, if not hesitantly. Edwards fought like a man whose confidence was boosted and buoyed by the title, but the result was razor close. Regardless, Edwards retained the belt via majority decision, and Usman left London empty handed.
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The next opportunity would come in October, albeit at the last second, as Usman decided to step in on short-notice to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 after Paulo Costa dropped out of the fight. Fighting at 185 pounds for the first time, and in a three-round fight for the first time in more than five years, Usman weathered Chimaev’s patented early onslaught. By the third round, he found his rhythm and looked much more like the Usman of our memories. Time ran out, however, and Usman was left regretful of his slow start.
Of course, as Vin Diesel says as Dominic Toretto in The Fast and The Furious, it doesn’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile—winning is winning. The same goes for the inverse: losing is losing, and there, all the reasoning or excuses in the world doesn’t take away from the fact that Usman hasn’t had his hand raised in nearly four years. Context matters, though, and not all three-fight losing streaks are built the same.
Granted, Joaquin Buckley — the savage knockout artist he is — very well could step into the Octagon in Atlanta and hand Usman his fourth loss in a row in devastating fashion on June 14. That’s always in play when “New Mansa” makes the walk.
Kamaru Usman UFC Collection Now Live!
But, maybe the old dog has some new tricks, or maybe the old tricks still work well enough to halt the losing skid and get back into the title picture. Across the board, Usman is a sizable underdog, but if anyone can push back against the narrative and prove everyone wrong, it’s the ultra-competitive former champion.
UFC Fight Night: Usman vs Buckley took place live from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on June 14, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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