Tag: UFC

  • UFC 268: Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman beats Covington, retains welterweight title

    UFC 268: Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman beats Covington, retains welterweight title

    Kamaru Usman has defeated Colby Covington by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-7, 49-46) to retain the UFC welterweight championship.

    After their rematch at UFC 268 at the Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Usman described Covington as a tough opponent.

    Usman won their first fight with a fifth-round knockout.

    He also acknowledged that Covington has improved from their first bout.

    Usman subsequently proclaimed himself the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Covington “the second-best guy” in the division.

    UFC 268: Covington badly hurt as Kamaru Usman lands body shots in second round
    On his part, Covington admitted that Usman had a better night.

  • What Ronaldo told me before Man Utd move – UFC legend Khabib

    What Ronaldo told me before Man Utd move – UFC legend Khabib

    UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov says that Cristiano Ronaldo knew he was going to Manchester United one month ago.

    The Red Devils completed the signing of Ronaldo from Juventus in the final days of the transfer window.

    News of his return to Old Trafford was not made public until late last week, while reports in England and Italy suggested he may even go to Manchester City or Paris-Saint Germain.

    Khabib said to RT about the Ronaldo to United transfer: “A month ago, he told me he was moving to United.

    “I expected this deal to take place. I think that United is more suitable for him than Juventus. For me, the transition was not a surprise.”

    Khabib added: “We talk many times – almost every day – but when we met we had a conversation about where we got our motivation from.

    “He told me that he wants his son to be his successor. When Cristiano was a kid, he could only dream of having a simple pair of boots.

    “But now his son has everything. He fears that his son will not feel the same hunger, the same will.

    “People are guided by that will; feel the desire to achieve things. When you have everything, it’s hard to find the right motivation.

    “When he told me that, I’m not going to say I was surprised, but I enjoyed listening to him. I realised he is a person not content with one, two or three titles.”

  • Obaseki congratulates Kamaru Usman for retaining UFC title

    Obaseki congratulates Kamaru Usman for retaining UFC title

    Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Monday in Benin congratulated UFC Welterweight Champion, Kamaru Usman, who hails from Edo, for retaining the coveted world title.

    Obaseki stated this in a statement, commending him for always showcasing the indomitable Edo spirit to the world.

    Usman, at the weekend, defeated his rival, Jorge Masvidal, in a rematch with a vicious second-round knockout, to retain the UFC welterweight championship.

    “I congratulate our own Kamaru Usman for retaining his title as the undisputed welterweight champion of UFC.

    “The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ once again shines brightly as an Edo Star, showcasing the indomitable Edo spirit to the world.

    “He has again put his name on the short list of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

    “I celebrated the undisputed champion for his agility, vigour and confidence, commending him for always showcasing the indomitable Edo spirit to the world.

    “We are proud of his achievements and wish him more victories in his career,” he said.

  • Nigeria’s nightmare, Kamaru Usman knocks out Masvidal with one punch, retains title

    Nigeria’s nightmare, Kamaru Usman knocks out Masvidal with one punch, retains title

    Welterweight champion Kamaru ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Usman has today knocked out his challenger, the American mixed martial artist, Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal in their hugely anticipated sold-out 170-rematch face-off for the UFC 261 Welterweight championship title scheduled at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

    The UFC 261 title fight which sold out 15,000 tickets in fifteen minutes after the announcement was made, longtime contender, Masvidal was looking for vengeance after being defeated during their first bout in July 2020 and reigning champion Kamaru is simply looking for another solid clear-cut win.

    But in a 1 minute 8 seconds of the second round. Kamaru Usman with a devasting right punch knocked out Masvidal to retain his welterweight champion undisputed title.

    The contender, Jorge Masvidal acknowledged the power when he said, “He (Kamaru Usman) won fair and square, he didn’t show me his power in the first fight so I underestimated his striking power”.

    Masvidal refused to give a hint if he would be asking for a third rematch after he was knocked out in round two of their rematch.

    Details Soon…

  • ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ Usman dismantles Brazilian opponent to retain UFC title

    ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ Usman dismantles Brazilian opponent to retain UFC title

    Nigerian nightmare, Kamaru Usman has dismantled his Brazilian opponent in the third round to retain his UFC welterweight belt.

    The fight took place in Las Vegas, Nevada last night, but on Sunday Nigerian time.

    He continued to be a Nigerian Nightmare in the UFC welterweight division, as he finished Gilbert Burns of Brazil in the encounter.

    Kamaru Usman has now taken his overall MMA win streak to 1-7 in a row!

    He has not lost a fight since May 2013 and that is still his only defeat ever. The Nigerian Nightmare is a perfect 13-0 in the UFC.

    Following the end of the bout, both Kamaru Usman and Gilbert burns had an emotional embrace.

    The fight game. The highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. Sheer drama in the immediate aftermath of the fight as Kamaru Usman looked on as his former training partner and friend shed tears.

    The fight had been hyped as the meeting of former teammates before the fists started flying.

    Usman got loose in Round two and there was no turning back. His impressive record gave fans some feeling that he would carry the day as the current UFC welterweight champion.

    Burns had earned this shot and made it clear that he would do anything to get his chance at gold. Unfortunately for the challenger, this marks 13 straight victories for Usman.

    It’s interesting to weigh all the different fights that could be lined up for the “Nigerian Nightmare.” Before the fight, there was some skepticism about his chances.

    After the fight Usman, in an interview said “I am a whole, not a savage.”

  • Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman goes for third UFC Welterweight title defence

    Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman goes for third UFC Welterweight title defence

    History will be made in the early hours of Sunday, February 14, 2021, as 33-year-old Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, Kamarudeen Usman, popularly known as “The Nigerian Nightmare” competes against 34-year-old fellow professional mixed martial artist, Brazil’s Gilbert Alexander Pontes Burns popularly known as ‘Durinho’, in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), at the UFC APEX Center in Las Vegas, USA.

    The fight scheduled for Saturday, February 13, 2021, rolling into the early hours of Sunday, February 14, 2021, for the UK fans of the sport, will see one of UFC 2019’s best fighters currently ranked #1 and Black belt ranker in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Kamaru, take on three-time World Champion, UFC ranked #3 and World Cup gold medalist, Burns, in a fight that promises to be a global show-stopper.

    The exceptional and formidable UFC Welterweight Champion and the Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament winner; with statistics as at July 14, 2020, putting him at #5 in the UFC men’s Pound-for-Pound rankings; has fought in 18 matches in the Mixed Martial Arts; won 17 (of which 7 were by knockouts, 1 by submission and 9 by decision) and lost just one. His opponent, Gilbert Burns, on the other hand, has won 19 matches (of which 8 were by submission, 6 knockouts and 5 by decision) and lost three.

    Being the first-ever Nigerian-born champion in UFC history, the Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament winner, has a long line of accomplishments in the NCAA where he won the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship (174 lbs, in 2010) and secured a triple year win in the NCAA Division II Wrestling All-American (174 lbs) from 2008 to 2010.

    With two successful title defences, one-time Fight of the Night, latest finish in UFC Welterweight history and tied for most consecutive wins in welterweight division (12), the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ will surely have earned the bragging rights for a sport in which he has excelled in to be a favourite in this superbly highly-anticipated showdown; and should he win this fight, it will be the longest ever win-streak in the Welterweight division.

  • UFC: McGregor suspended on medical grounds after defeat

    Conor McGregor has been suspended for a month on medical grounds after his UFC 229 defeat by Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    McGregor was beaten in Las Vegas when he tapped out in the fourth round following Nurmagomedov administering a rear-naked choke.
    Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) sanctioned the bout and confirmed McGregor was suspended from fighting until 6 November, with no contact until 28 October.
    Medical suspensions are routine in UFC.
    In total, 13 fighters on the Las Vegas card have been suspended from action under medical grounds.
    Following the fight, there were violent scenes involving the fighters.
    Lightweight champion Nurmagomedov vaulted the cage and fought a member of McGregor’s team.
    Meanwhile, McGregor was involved in a bust-up in the octagon with members of his Russian opponent’s team.
    Three of Nurmagomedov’s party were arrested but later released, with McGregor refusing to press charges.
    Nurmagomedov’s fight purse has been withheld while the NSAC investigates.
    The Russian apologised following the incident but cited pre-fight trash talk in which McGregor “talked about my religion, talked about my country, talked about father”.
    BBC

  • UFC star McGregor avoids jail after deal with prosecutors

    UFC fighter Conor McGregor has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in a deal with prosecutors to avoid jail time.

    McGregor had faced multiple criminal charges stemming from an altercation in April with other fighters.

    As part of his deal he is required to undergo anger management treatment. The plea will not affect his US work visa.

    In a statement outside the New York City courthouse, the 30-year-old thanked the judge and prosecutors “for allowing me to move forward”.

    He will also be required to fulfil five days of community service and, in exchange, will be cleared of criminal charges.

    McGregor had been facing 12 criminal charges related to the incident at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on 5 April.

    The charges against McGregor had included menacing, assault resulting in injury, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief.

    The most serious charges carried a maximum sentence of seven years.

    In a two-sentence statement outside the courthouse, he said: “I just want to say I’m thankful to the DA [District Attorney] and the judge for allowing me to move forward.”

    “I want to say to my friends, my family, my fans: thank you for the support.”

    His fans had gathered outside the court, with several holding signs expressing their support for the “champ”.

    In April McGregor was filmed throwing a metal dolly into a window of a bus parked at a Barclay’s Center loading bay.

    As a condition of the deal with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, he was required to pay full restitution to the bus company, which he has already fulfilled.

    The coach bus had been carrying a group of UFC athletes and employees at the time.

    Two UFC fighters were injured and forced to withdraw from their scheduled matches.

    One of McGregor’s teammates from SBG Ireland – MMA fighter Cian Cowley – was also arrested for his involvement in the incident.

    On Thursday, he too pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

    McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, gave a statement outside the court, saying the Irish fighter would be “getting back to business”.

    “Now that this is passed us, we can focus on things that have been on hold for some time,” said Mr Attar.

    “Conor’s been training. He’s in shape. He’s ready to go. Now it’s just about getting back to business and we hope to have some news to announce very soon.”

    Last month, the father-of-one had expressed his “regret” for the attack.

    In August 2017, McGregor launched a boxing career with a fight against ex-welterweight Floyd Mayweather.

    The fight, which earned him $100m (£76m), was considered the richest boxing bout of all time.

    According to sports journalists, the legal settlement could clear the way for his return to the Octagon later this year.

    His manager, Mr Attar, said in an interview after the plea deal that the current champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, will be McGregor’s “likely opponent” in a coming fight.

    Nurmagomedov was on the bus that McGregor attacked, and was the target of his hostility.

    That match, which his manager said could come as soon as October, could become one of the biggest fights in UFC history.