Kamaru Usman News

Tom Taylor - February 25, 2019

UFC 235 will feature two dynamite title fights. The first will occur in the welterweight division, where long-time champ Tyron Woodley will look to defend his strap against streaking contender Kamaru Usman. The second — the evening’s main event — will occur in the light heavyweight division, where resurgent champ Jon Jones will look to thwart dangerous finisher Anthony Smith. The referees for this duo of UFC 235 title fights have now been assigned. The news was announced at a Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) hearing on Monday (h/t Jason Floyd).

Tom Taylor - February 25, 2019

At UFC 235, Kamaru Usman will look to wrest the UFC welterweight belt from the waist of long-time champion Tyron Woodley. Heading into this fight, the pair have exchanged quite a bit of trash talk — most notably at the recent UFC 235 pre-fight press conference. At this event, they engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth, throughout which Woodley seemed entirely free of worry, cracking jokes and comparing Usman to rapper LL Cool J.

James Lynch - February 23, 2019

UFC 235 takes place next Saturday (Mar. 2nd) and Colby Covington doesn’t see the welterweight title fight being very competitive. The outspoken American Top Team member weighed in with Submission Radio about champion Tyron Woodley defending his title against Kamaru Usman and believes fans could be in for a lackluster fight.

Tom Taylor - February 5, 2019

At the UFC 235 press conference, former ONE and Bellator welterweight champ Ben Askren divulged that he and top welterweight contender Kamaru Usman very nearly came to blows backstage. Days after the press conference wrapped up, Will Harris of Anatomy of a Fighter released footage of this backstage confrontation.

Tom Taylor - February 4, 2019

Over the last few weeks, former ONE and Bellator welterweight champ Ben Askren has exchanged a number of barbs with UFC 235 welterweight title challenger Kamaru Usman — who he refers to at ‘Marty.’ Late last week, Usman and Askren were in attendance at the UFC 235 press conference to promote their upcoming fights with Tyron Woodley and Robbie Lawler respectively, and they had plenty to say to each other on stage.

Chris Taylor - January 12, 2019

Colby Covington is not happy that Kamaru Usman will be fighting Tyron Woodley for the promotions undisputed welterweight title at UFC 235 on March 2. With that said, Covington remains confident that a future grudge match with “The Chosen One” will eventually come to fruition, this after Woodley “smokes” Usman in Las Vegas.

Tom Taylor - January 8, 2019

UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley is scheduled to defend his title at UFC 235 on March 2 in Las Vegas — against Kamaru Usman, not against Colby Covington as originally expected. While Woodley is now focused on this UFC 235 fight with Usman, and Covington is now at odds with the UFC, Woodley says he hopes to fight Covington almost immediately after he has dealt with Usman in March.

Tom Taylor - January 7, 2019

The opening odds for Tyron Woodley and Kamaru Usman’s UFC 235 welterweight title fight have now been released — and they’re very close. According to the website BestFightOdds.com, the online sportsbook 5dimes has pegged Tyron Woodley as a -170 favorite, meaning a successful $170 bet on him would earn you $100. Kamaru Usman, meanwhile, has been identified as a +130 underdog by the same sportsbook, meaning a successful $100 bet on him would win you $130.

Drake Riggs - January 2, 2019

It seems like every now and then we will inch closer and closer to clarity in regards to the top of the UFC’s always stacked, 170-pound welterweight division. However, after looking like we may know the next title fight, the champion shut that down and fast. Top contender, “The Nigerian Nightmare” Kamaru Usman recently dominated former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos on route to a unanimous decision win. Thus setting himself up for a title shot or at the very least, one fight from it.

Thomas Taylor - January 2, 2019

From the sounds of it, Kamaru Usman will get the next crack at UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Speaking on Twitter on Thursday evening, the surging UFC welterweight contender announced that his next fight is “a done deal” — and it sure seems like he’s talking about a title fight.

Thomas Taylor - December 26, 2018

Earlier today, on an episode of MMAjunkie Radio, manager Ali Abdelaziz claimed that streaking welterweight contender Kamaru Usman will “100%” get the next crack at UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, apparently at UFC 235 on March 2 in Las Vegas. Shortly thereafter, UFC President Dana White confirmed to MMAjunkie that Kamaru Usman will fight for the welterweight title next — but it might not be against Tyron Woodley. The UFC boss says Usman will fight for the welterweight title with our without Woodley.

Tom Taylor - December 26, 2018

According to manager Ali Abdelaziz, streaking welterweight contender Kamaru Usman will “100%” get the next shot at UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. The fight will apparently occur at UFC 235, which goes down on March 2 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Abdelaziz made this claim on a Wednesday episode of MMAjunkie Radio.

Drake Riggs - December 12, 2018

The welterweight title picture continues to figure itself out. And it looks like it may doing so without the likes of Colby Covington. As most everyone expected, the next welterweight title bout would surely be Covington taking on his nemesis in the undisputed champion Tyron Woodley. However, since Kamaru Usman’s continued dominance after defeating former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos, plans appear to be changing.

Drake Riggs - December 11, 2018

The welterweight division is one of the deepest and best that MMA has to offer. Yet in the UFC, things are looking somewhat complicated at the top right now. With Kamaru Usman’s emergence as a top title threat and the long-awaited arrival of Ben Askren, the two have been making more noise than the champion Tyron Woodley and interim champion Colby Covington.

Cole Shelton - December 11, 2018

UFC 233, the first pay-per-view of 2019, is just over a month away and it still doesn’t have a main event. That was not initially the case, as a flyweight title fight between TJ Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo was originally supposed to headline the card. However, when that fight was moved up a week to headline the first ESPN card in Brooklyn, UFC 233 was left without a main event. Now, with the majority of champions booked, injured or recovering from recent fights, the UFC finds itself in a tough situation. There are not a lot of viable options left available for the UFC 233 main event — especially if the promotion wants to compete with Bellator 214, which will be headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Ryan Bader, and airs the same night.

Tom Taylor - December 10, 2018

Kamaru Usman has been angling for a fight with Colby Covington for some time, admitting that he might even prefer the matchup to a fight with UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Unfortunately for Usman, Covington is likely to battle Woodley next, which means Usman will have to look elsewhere for his next opponent. Former ONE and Bellator welterweight champ Ben Askren is hoping to make that search easy for him. Askren, who is currently booked to fight Robbie Lawler at UFC 233 on January 26, recently offered to battle Usman on the card instead.

Tom Taylor - December 4, 2018

The official UFC rankings have been updated in the wake of last weekend’s TUF 28 Finale and UFC Adelaide cards. The biggest changes in these new UFC rankings occurred in the welterweight and heavyweight divisions.

Tom Taylor - December 4, 2018

When Kamaru Usman defeated Rafael dos Anjos at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale last Friday night, he asserted himself as one of the uppermost contenders in the crowded UFC welterweight division. In fact, UFC President Dana White suggested Usman might have even surpassed Colby Covington and earned himself a title fight with long-time welterweight champ Tyron Woodley. Interestingly, however, Kamaru Usman seems to relish the opportunity to settle his beef with Colby Covington even more than he wants to fight Woodley for the title.