Kamaru Usman MMA Losses: All Defeats in the UFC Star’s Legendary Record

It was absolutely shocking for some fans to witness the way in which Kamaru Usman went down after getting head-kicked by Leon Edwards at UFC 278. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ boasted an undefeated 15-0 record in the UFC prior to his UFC 278 loss against his known rival, Leon Edwards. Numerous UFC fans have regarded Usman as one of the toughest fighters to defeat in the Welterweight division of the promotion.

His awesome prowess inside the Octagon also gained him the title of the UFC’s no.1 pound-for-pound fighter in the month of January 2022. But, his only UFC loss against ‘Rocky’, took away that rank from him as well, along with his Welterweight title.

Kamaru Usman’s UFC record

Most UFC fans are aware of Usman‘s near-perfect UFC record, which stands currently at 15-1. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ has beaten almost all the top contenders in his division. He also boasts dual victories over two of the most noted UFC Welterweights, Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington and Jorge ‘Gamebred’ Masvidal.

But, a lot might also be wondering whether Kamaru Usman has lost to anyone else except Leon Edwards or not. This piece will provide the answer to all such questions from the fans as we take a look at all of ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’s career losses.

How many losses does Kamaru Usman have?

A majority of UFC fans are well aware of Usman‘s only loss inside the Octagon which came at UFC 278. But, the fact that a lot of fans might not know is the 35-year-old also has one more defeat in his name.

Usman‘s lesser-known defeat came against Jose Caceres while he used to fight at the Championship Fighting Alliance (CFA). It was actually the Nigerian-American’s first-ever loss in his professional MMA career. Currently, the former UFC Welterweight kingpin boasts a record of 20 wins along with 2 losses.

All about Kamaru Usman’s losses

Usman‘s first loss came on 24 May 2013 while he was signed to the CFA. In CFA 11, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ took on the US native fighter, Jose Caceres, who subjected him to his first professional career loss. Despite having a dominant start, Usman gave away his back to his opponent. The American made the most of Usman‘s exposed back and managed to put the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ into a standing rear-naked choke.

The choke proved too good to be overcome by Usman as he tapped out to it. He got submitted in the fourth minute of the very first round of the bout.

Most UFC fans are probably well aware of Usman‘s infamous second loss. The 35-year-old was scheduled to take on his formerly known rival, Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards, in a rematch of their UFC on Fox 17 encounter at UFC 278. Usman‘s Welterweight title was also put on the line for the coveted main event of the UFC 278. The then-champion, Usman, showcased outstanding skills inside the octagon and dominated all the initial four rounds of the bout.

READ MORE – “I Took Him All the Way Out”: Nate Diaz Throws Verbal Jabs at Mike Tyson for Glorifying Conor McGregor’s Defeat to Floyd Mayweather

However, some stern words from Edwards‘ corner at the end of the penultimate round worked wonders for him. ‘Rocky’ scored a picture-perfect head kick over Usman in the final minute of the final round. It sent the Nigerian flat to the canvas in an instant, handing him the second and final loss of his career to date.

The loss turned Kamaru Usman into one of the best welterweight fighters of all time

Usman has gone on to speak about how his first loss against Jose Caceres turned him into an even better Welterweight. He started wrestling from his high school years and also claimed gold at the NCAA Division 2 championships in 2012. However, after failing to make it to the US Olympic squad, Usman shifted his focus to MMA. His wrestling and striking were good enough to hand him his first professional win in MMA.

But, after his defeat against Caceres via a rear naked choke, Usman realized the immense importance of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in MMA. He added BJJ to his usual training routine in order to get somewhat well-versed in the art. Despite Usman boasting only a single victory via submission, his improvement was noticeable. He used an enhanced set of weapons in his fights against Rafael dos Anjos and Demian Maia.

It may be said that Usman took the light out of the darkness of his loss and used it to glow brighter as a fighter.

Usman got N213M for losing at UFC 278

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’s loss at the UFC 278 came as a shock to many fans, including the ringside commentators. A lot of others, too, had almost concluded that Edwards had probably given up his hope to win the bout. The final minute of the final round changed all the equations.

But, despite losing out on his Welterweight title and pound-for-pound no.1 ranking, Usman didn’t have to go through any discontent regarding his income from the bout. He reportedly made a flat $500,000 from it, which even topped the victor, Leon Edwards‘ earnings from the bout. Edwards reportedly received $350,000 for the bout.

Watch this Story – UFC’s Jorge Masvidal Ignores Israel Adesanya & Alex Pereira To Name Johnny Eblen the ‘Best’ Middleweight in the World

If converted to the currency of Usman‘s home country of Nigeria, the figure stands at around 213M Nigerian Naira. Usman earned this amount just from his UFC 278 main event clash.

All about Kamaru Usman’s next fight UFC 286 

The UFC 286 is currently knocking at the door with the fans awaiting it eagerly. 18 March has been elected as the date for the coveted event. The UK will be set to feature a trilogy bout between the Nigerian-American and his archrival, Edwards. The event has been scheduled for 18 March to take place at the coveted O2 Arena in London.

It will be a real test for Usman. A win against Edwards will get him his Welterweight crown back. Usman will be also be able to make a statement that his only loss to date in UFC was probably a fluke.

Whom are you going to root for? Usman or Edwards?