Nigerian Kamaru Usman is the new UFC welterweight champion after a dominant victory over Tyron Woodley in the co-main event of UFC 235.
Usman didn't lose a round and had his way with American Tyron Woodley in every department before scorecards of 50-44, 50-44 and 50-45 confirmed a comprehensive win for 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.
A betting underdog going into Saturday night, Usman proved the oddsmakers wrong by shutting out Woodley over 25 minutes of grinding action.
"I'll be honest. I might not be the best striker in the world. I might not be the best pure wrestler in the world. But when it comes to mixing this shit up, I'm the fucking best welterweight on the planet right now," Usman said in his post-fight interview.
He started off the press conference by greeting journalists in Arabic before switching to Pidgin.
"Nigeria, I have told them, we would do it, I told them we never fail. And we have done it today," he said in Pidgin.
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Image captionUsman made history when he won the welterweight title
Usman was born in Nigeria, a native of Auchi Benin City, but left Benin City for Arlington in Texas as a young child when his family migrated to the US.
Twenty-three years later, he is proud of his nickname, the Nigerian Nightmare, he told BBC World Service's Sportsworld.
2 days ago
Kamaru Usman is the new UFC welterweight champion
Kamaru Usman is the new UFC welterweight champion after a dominant victory over Tyron Woodley in the co-main event of UFC 235.
Usman didn't lose a round and had his way with Woodley in every department before scorecards of 50-44, 50-44 and 50-45 confirmed a comprehensive win for 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.
A betting underdog going into Saturday night, Usman proved the oddsmakers wrong by shutting out Woodley over 25 minutes of grinding action.
"I'll be honest. I might not be the best striker in the world. I might not be the best pure wrestler in the world. But when it comes to mixing this shit up, I'm the fucking best welterweight on the planet right now," Usman said in his post-fight interview.
His brutality continued in the fourth round and after a warning from referee Marc Goddard about the lack of action as Usman was reminded that "this is a fight!", he almost secured a finish in the moments that followed when several uppercuts appeared to have Woodley out on his feet.
The fifth round was very much more of the same and Woodley knew when he returned to his feet that his title reign had come to an end.
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