Kamaru Usman defended his title against Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 as he finished his former teammate by strikes in the main event. It was ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’s’ third title defense. A key element to his win was his exceptional jab, which hurt Burns badly and eventually opened the door for his finish.
Usman was hurt badly in the opening moments of the contest as ‘Durinho’ caught him with a hook. But, the champion recovered and eventually took control from the second round onwards. His most effective technique was the jab, and it was on full display. The champion switched stances effectively to land mean jabs and threw ‘Durinho’ off completely.
The new techniques paid off for ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’. His new coach, Trevor Wittman, was influential as he repeatedly instructed him to go back to the jab. Given his line of attack, comparisons of jabs from yet another former champion, Canadian legend Georges St-Pierre, were made instantly.
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‘Rush‘ had uniquely effective jabs which were fundamentals of his success in the UFC. Fans still talk about his jabs against Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 about to this day. Now the question is whose jabs are better? GSP’s or Usman’s?
Kamaru Usman or Georges St-Pierre: Who has unmatched power in his jabs
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Usman’s jabs are powerful, to say the least, and can be compared to other fighters’ power shots.
Burns got dropped by the jabs on several occasions. The champion’s placement and timing were impeccable. Whenever he was in deep waters, the jab was his go-to weapon.
St-Pierre had his success with the technique, as he always managed to keep fighters at bay with it. But, the level of power in his jabs was not like Usman’s. Instead, ‘Rush’ depended on placement and timing. So, Usman may have the edge in this debate.
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Is ‘The Nigerian Nightmare‘s’ jab better than that of Georges St-Pierre? Let us know about your take on the debate.