For Kamaru Usman, gaining respect hasn’t always been easy. But as his victories continue to pile up, denying his worth is becoming impossible.
It was nearly four years ago that a victorious Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) said after his dominant win over Emil Meek that he was operating at just “30 percent.” It was a comment Usman made in regards to his physical health but that UFC president Dana White misconstrued, believing the welterweight contender was admitting to giving less than full effort in the cage.
It’s a comment that Usman’s doubters used to minimize his achievements even as he dominated proven commodities Demian Maia and former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos en route to earning a shot at the welterweight title. Usman made good on that opportunity, shutting out Tyron Woodley to take the belt.
Usman’s first defense was an honorable mention for MMA Junkie’s 2019 “Fight of the Year,” a rousing fifth-round TKO of Colby Covington in what was certainly an instant classic but one with a result the challenger refused to acknowledge.
In 2020, Usman earned a workmanlike victory over superstar Jorge Masvidal, who stepped in on short notice, leaving both champion and challenger scrambling to travel to Abu Dhabi’s “Fight Island” and compete in the wee hours of the morning, the sun already rising outside the du Forum.
It was a matchup that provided some awfully difficult challenges for Usman, who had broken his nose two weeks earlier but didn’t bother to reveal it. And though he won all five rounds on two of the three attending judges’ scorecards, it seemed to not be good enough for some.
Then came 2021.
In February, Usman finally met friend and former training partner “Durinho” Burns, whose combination of power on the feet and incredible grappling acumen were seen as a true threat to take the belt.
In the UFC 258 headliner, Burns came out aggressive and stunned Usman with a right hand in the opening minute. It appeared Usman was in real trouble from the start, but he quickly shook it off and began to take control of the fight, utilizing a crisp jab that slowed his opponent before sitting him down briefly in the second round.
Usman finished it 34 seconds into the third, switching to southpaw and landing with the right hand to put Burns on the canvas before unleashing a vicious barrage of punches on the floor to claim an emotional victory over a respected foe.
Two months later, Usman was happy to grant Masvidal a rematch at UFC 261, admitting he wasn’t completely satisfied with the first clash. Usman left no doubt the second time around, scoring a jaw-dropping “Knockout of the Year” candidate with a crushing right hand that left “Gamebred” out cold on the canvas for the first time in a legendary 17-year career.
But Usman still had one gutsy performance remaining, taking on bitter rival Covington in another highly anticipated rematch at UFC 268. The champion used a technically sound start to get ahead on the cards, nearly finishing the fight in the second round, before surviving a late charge from the gritty Covington and taking home a unanimous decision win, defending the welterweight title for the third time in the calendar year – a feat that hadn’t been accomplished since UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes did it in 2002.
If you need a visual indicator of what Usman accomplished in 2021, take a look at the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings. Usman sits at the top, but there’s Covington at No. 2, Burns at No. 3 and Masvidal at No. 9. Usman beat all three of them, including two by knockout.
Usman now owns a perfect 15-0 mark in the UFC and is just one win shy of tying Anderson Silva’s all-time record of 16 straight wins in the UFC. He’s hoping to continue that dominance and set records that will never be broken. Whether or not he’s successful in that endeavor remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Kamaru Usman is MMA Junkie’s 2021 Male Fighter of the Year.
Honorable mention: Charles Oliveira
Were it not for Usman’s greatness in 2021, another fighter who sometimes struggled for respect put together a banner year, as well: UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (32-8 MMA, 20-8 UFC).
Oliveira claimed a vacant title in May, scoring a TKO win over dangerous former Bellator champ Michael Chandler at UFC 262. He followed that up with a thrilling submission win over another all-time great in Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.
“Do Bronx” has long been considered a dangerous competitor, but with a 10-fight winning streak to his credit, a UFC title wrapped around his waist, and a confidence in himself that has never been higher, the 32-year-old Brazilian is now being talked about as one of the greatest 155-pounders in promotional history. With the most finishes in UFC history, the most submissions in UFC history and the most performance bonuses in UFC history, Oliveira’s career is one that seems destined for the UFC Hall of Fame, and his amazing 2021 is worthy of recognition.
