What Ethnicity Is Kamaru Usman? All About the Ex-UFC Champ’s Family Background and Religion

Kamaru Usman is ready to replace Paulo Costa and fight Khamzat Chimaev. The two will be moving up to middleweight to lock horns at UFC 294. He is the current number-one-ranked fighter in the welterweight division and is often considered one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history.

However, how much do the fans know about Usman? The fighter is perhaps one of the best replacements that could have been made to the card. Costa and Chimaev’s beef may have outlived their co-main event meeting plans, but Usman will probably bring the thrills back. Here’s everything you need to know about the fighter’s background.

Where is Kamaru Usman from?

Kamaru Usman has his roots firm in the art of wrestling. He has been a freestyle and a folk-style wrestler before. While the fighter currently fights from the United States of America, he originally comes from Africa. The 36-year-old was born in Nigeria to a major in the Nigerian Army and a teacher. He has two brothers, one of whom is Mohammed Usman who also happens to be a UFC fighter. The siblings are the first two brothers to win UFC contracts by winning TUF finales.

He and his family immigrated to Dallas, Texas where his father became a pharmacist. Usman was merely eight years old back then, and his upbringing wasn’t exactly very grand. Growing up living a modest life, Usman later became interested in wrestling as he entered high school.

Years later, in 2012, injuries and the process of recovery would eliminate Usman from his dreams of becoming an Olympic medalist in Wrestling. So he set his eyes on the UFC and, to his good luck, Christian Okoye the NFL star allowed him to use his moniker ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’.

He made his grand UFC debut at The Ultimate Fighter 21. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ had already secured a great record of 5-1 by then. He managed to defeat two great fighters in the semi-finals and then the finals to win a six-figure contract with the organization. And the rest is history.

What religion does Usman believe in?

Usman was born into a family that was split between two religions. His mother was Christian and his father was a Muslim. Usman decided to choose his father’s faith and became a devout Muslim. During his bouts in the UFC, though, his father had to suffer through jail time.

Also Read: “Hospitalized”- Paulo Costa Makes Huge Confession to Dana White as Khamzat Chimaev Takes On Kamaru Usman at UFC 294

He was convicted of several frauds and was only recently released in 2021. Usman maintained that his father was innocent but his pleas didn’t find faith with the courts. The two are on good terms and the truth is, Usman hoped his father would get to see him fight more. Now, his father truly can with his upcoming fight. Usman takes on Khamzat Chimaev on October 21 at UFC 294. Who are you betting your buck on?

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