Kamaru Usman felt the hometown love during a recent visit to his native Nigeria.
The UFC welterweight king has proudly put the soul of Nigeria on his back. Usman has repeatedly spoken of how important it is to him as a champion and a man to show love for his native country. This week, his homeland gave him the love right back.
In his first trip home since defending the welterweight title against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261, Usman received a roaring welcome as he arrived at the Lagos Food Bank in the country’s capital city. Usman shared a video of the homecoming through his Instagram story feed, which Damon Martin captured.
The hometown crowd had much to celebrate. Usman captured a Performance of the Night bonus, knocking Masvidal out in the second round of the main event. The win put a stamp on Usman’s dominance in the sport. He’s currently undefeated in the UFC and has only one professional loss from back in 2013. As to Usman’s status as the welterweight GOAT, the debate has already begun as he looks to add another title defense later this summer.
Usman is looking to retain his title in a much-anticipated rematch with the division’s top contender, Colby Covington, later this year. Although a date is yet to be confirmed, the UFC has hinted at the rematch happening in the fall.
For his part, Covington has been very vocal about the rematch and critical of Usman. He has taken to social media to bash the champion.
With the rematch not finalized, Covington has also accused Usman of ducking him because of the rematch. Still, Usman is unfazed as Covington’s accusations join the list with others like Leon Edwards. For now, he is enjoying receiving the love as the pride of Nigeria.
Do you think Kamaru Usman will defend his title against Colby Covington in their rematch?