Ground game
44 DThin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.
- 2.79 takedowns / 15 at 44% accuracy
- 0.09 submission attempts / 15 · 1 career sub wins
Middleweight · Champion
“Nigerian Nightmare”
21-5
SLpM
4.16
SApM
3.68
Str Acc
64%
Str Def
45%
TD Avg
2.79
TD Acc
44%
TD Def
94%
Sub Avg
0.09
Pocket striker — porous pocket
Fight IQ
Built from FightMetric rates, method shares, and 7 loaded UFC rows. Timing and agility are tape proxies, not lab measurements.
IQ
Ground
Defense
Counter
Reaction
proxy
Agility
proxy
TD react
Chin
Durability
Gets through fire. Rarely finished by strikes; the later minutes are still theirs to win.
Takedown reaction
Can stuff the first shot. Chain wrestling and the second entry are the real test.
Fight IQ
Knows the assignment. Game plans hold up for 15 minutes; the adjustments are incremental, not chaotic.
Ground game
Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.
Striking defense
Defensive liability. Opponents land at a clip that turns every exchange into a finish window.
Timing & reaction
Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.
Kamaru Usman “Nigerian Nightmare” is a 39-year-old Switch middleweight out of Nigeria, camped at Kill Cliff FC. The tape read: pocket striker — porous pocket. Career mark 21-5-0 — 6 by KO/TKO, 1 by submission, 14 by decision. Fight IQ grades B (74).
What works. Durability is the standout at 84 (A). Gets through fire. Rarely finished by strikes; the later minutes are still theirs to win. Ground game D on 2.79 TD/15 and 0.09 sub attempts. Striking defense D at 45% / 3.68 SApM. Counter punching C; punching agility C (output × accuracy × age curve). Takedown reaction B+ on 94% TD defense. These are tape proxies — not lab reaction times — built from FightMetric rates, finish shares, and 7 loaded UFC rows.
Where it breaks. Ground game is the soft spot (44, D). Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain. Opponents who force wrestling and keep the fight on the fence have historically been the ones who make this résumé leak. Losses lean decision more often than a highlight — the issue is usually control of minutes, not a glass jaw.
Recent tape (7 bouts): L 3166126 (Decision - Unanimous R5) · W 4024714 (Decision - Unanimous R5) · L 4684751 (Decision - Majority R3) · L Edwards (Decision - Majority R5) · L Edwards (KO/TKO R5). Form index negative over the last 5. 2 of those wins reached the championship minutes — cardio and late IQ are real.
Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.
Defensive liability. Opponents land at a clip that turns every exchange into a finish window.
Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.
Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.
Heavy or economical. Combinations are chosen, not sprayed — opponents can time the entries.
Can stuff the first shot. Chain wrestling and the second entry are the real test.
Gets through fire. Rarely finished by strikes; the later minutes are still theirs to win.
| Date | Opponent | Res | Method | Rnd | Sig |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2026 | Fighter 3166126 | L | Decision - Unanimous | 5 5:00 | 92/234 |
| Jun 15, 2025 | Fighter 4024714 | W | Decision - Unanimous | 5 5:00 | 41/99 |
| Oct 21, 2023 | Fighter 4684751 | L | Decision - Majority | 3 5:00 | 36/66 |
| Mar 18, 2023 | Leon Edwards | L | Decision - Majority | 5 5:00 | 87/205 |
| Aug 21, 2022 | Leon Edwards | L | KO/TKO | 5 4:04 | 83/135 |
| Nov 7, 2021 | Colby Covington | W | Decision - Unanimous | 5 5:00 | 123/293 |
| Apr 25, 2021 | Jorge Masvidal | W | KO/TKO | 2 1:02 | 21/40 |