Kamaru Usman: UFC 261 KO of Jorge Masvidal solidifies top pound-for-pound status

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Kamaru Usman is satisfied after his UFC 261 rematch with Jorge Masvidal.

After beating Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) in a lopsided but lackluster unanimous decision in their first meeting last July, Usman (19-1 MMA, 14-0 UFC) specifically requested a rematch so he could put an exclamation point on his rival.

Mission accomplished Saturday night as Usman scored a second-round knockout of “Gamebred” in the headliner at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. It was a method of victory few predicted, but Usman knew he could get the job done.

“Absolutely (I knew I could knock him out),” Usman told MMA Junkie at the UFC 261 post-fight press conference. “There’s two setups to that right hand that I just envisioned them landing. That one was one of them. I tried the second one in the first round, but he’s a veteran. He’s game, and he saw it coming. I just had to stay composed, and I was going to find it.

“I’m satisfied. That’s what I said. I wasn’t satisfied with the last one and I wanted to be satisfied tonight, and I got to do that.”

Usman’s victory extended his UFC winning streak to 14 consecutive fights. Only Anderson Silva’s 16-fight run is better in company history, and it’s clear at this point “The Nigerian Nightmare” is doing something special.

It’s Usman’s hope that he’ll be recognized for those accomplishments. He’s not sure if what he’s done has put him ahead of Georges St-Pierre as the No. 1 welterweight of all time, but as far as active fighters go, he thinks his body of work should garner recognition as the top pound-for-pound athlete in the game today.

“I have big, big goals for myself, and I want to see it on Monday,” Usman said. “Pound-for-pound, I’m the best fighter on the planet, and I just want to see that on Monday.

“I take it a fight at a time. If people want to consider me the best, then they can. But as of right now, I do believe that pound-for-pound I am the best fighter on the planet.”