The Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler, called Nigerian nightmare, Kamaru Usman has ended his close to four years without a win and persistent questions about his decline, by defeating Joaquin Buckley at the weekend.
Kamaru graduated folkstyle wrestler and currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Welterweight Champion.
Kamaru Usman’s commanding performance at UFC Atlanta has reasserted his place among the greatest welterweights in MMA history, MMAfighting reports.
“From the opening bell to the final horn, Usman relied on the tools that made him a legend: unrelenting wrestling pressure, suffocating top control, and an engine that refused to slow down. It was vintage Usman, and the timing couldn’t have been better”, said one report
“It feels good,” Usman said about the win. “It’s been a while; I needed to get that monkey off my back. I know I’m still able to do this at the highest level. Sometimes, when you’re going up against a young, hungry guy like that, very talented, very aggressive, you’ve got to pull out the skills and use the experience. That’s what I did tonight.”
Many fans and pundits had written Usman off after back-to-back losses and a long layoff filled with talk about his deteriorating knees. But when the cage door closed, it was the former champion — not the rising contender — who looked every bit like the future of the division.
“I know it’s a running joke,” Usman said. “Everybody wants to get on the internet and talk rubbish. Oh, his knees, his knees! Well, shut the f*ck up, I can still do what I do.”
And he did exactly that. Usman imposed his will on Buckley, dragging him to the mat repeatedly with surgical precision. He opened a cut early, kept Buckley pinned to the canvas for long stretches, and smothered nearly every attempt to get back up. Even when Buckley surged in the final round, Usman’s dominance had already sealed the decision.
The fight was not just a win — it was a statement. After years at the top and a turbulent fall from grace, Usman didn’t come back to chase legacy. He came back to take what he still believes is his.
“I can do that to anybody,” Usman said. “Any one of them. Those knockouts will come; I just needed this monkey off my back. The rest of the welterweight division, listen — I have been and always will be the f*cking boogeyman.”
For Buckley, who showed heart and grit despite being outmatched, it was a learning experience — and a milestone in itself.
“I’m beyond just honoured to be in this octagon with somebody who’s known as one of the best,” Buckley said after the loss. “One of the GOATs to do it. For us to go five rounds, to put on an amazing fight, I’m just so happy. I’ve come a long way and you all see me here. This isn’t going to be the end. We’re just getting started.”
Whether this performance leads Usman back to a title shot remains to be seen. But after Saturday night, one thing is certain: the Nigerian Nightmare is still a problem — and the division has been warned.
The Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament winner as of May 13, 2025, he is #5 in the UFC welterweight rankings.
