Kamaru Usman Record: 21-4-0

Climbing the welterweight ranks

Usman went on an extended tear in the UFC. He beat a young Leon Edwards by decision in 2015, then methodically worked through Alexander Yakovlev, Warlley Alves and Sean Strickland. Statement wins over grappling great Demian Maia in 2018 and former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos later that year stamped him as the No. 1 contender.

Welterweight championship reign

At UFC 235 in March 2019, Usman dominated Tyron Woodley over five rounds to win the UFC Welterweight Championship, becoming the first African-born champion in UFC history. He defended the belt against the division's best: a fifth-round TKO of Colby Covington at UFC 245, a decision over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 251, a 2021 TKO of Gilbert Burns, a thunderous second-round knockout of Masvidal in their rematch at UFC 261, and a decision over Covington in their 2021 rematch at UFC 268.

Title loss and later career

The reign ended in stunning fashion at UFC 278 in August 2022, when Leon Edwards – trailing late – landed a fifth-round head-kick knockout to take the belt. Usman dropped a close majority decision in their 2023 trilogy bout at UFC 286, then moved up to middleweight on short notice and lost a majority decision to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. He returned in June 2025 with a five-round unanimous-decision win over Joaquin Buckley, improving to 21-4.

Fighting style

Usman is the prototype of the modern wrestle-boxer. His relentless takedown threat and top control let him grind opponents into the canvas, but it is his pressure and boxing – sharpened during his title run – that produced his most memorable finishes. Of his 21 wins, 11 are decisions and nine are knockouts, with one submission, a finish rate that reflects a fighter who can win on the scorecards or end nights with his hands. The lone soft spots: he can be caught when he opens up offensively, as the Edwards head-kick KO showed, and moving up to middleweight stripped away some of the size and pressure advantages that defined him at 170.

Career highlights

• UFC Welterweight Champion — defeated Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 to win the title and become the first African-born UFC champion.
• Five title defenses — turned back Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal (twice) and Gilbert Burns during a dominant championship reign.
• NCAA Division II national champion — the 2010 wrestling title at Nebraska-Kearney laid the foundation for his MMA dominance.