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Is Kamaru Usman the greatest welterweight of all time

Kamaru Usman

When it comes to naming the most legendary fighter in the history of mixed martial arts, Kamaru Usman will always be in the conversation. The Nigerian-American, who is a former freestyle wrestler and folkstyle wrestling graduate, is the reigning UFC Welterweight Champion, aside from an impeccable resume that speaks for itself.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” has remained undefeated since his third professional career fight, and in the UFC, holds an unblemished 15-0 record. The 35-year-old holds the 170-pound title since March 2019 after defeating Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 and has been one of the most dominant champions ever- with five title defenses so far and holds the top spot in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

In what is arguably the most competitive division in MMA right now- Usman has marked notable wins over welterweight icons such as double victories against both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, along with the likes of Gilbert Burns, Rafael dos Anjos, Demian Maia, Sean Strickland and many more, and is also looking to secure his second victory over Leon Edwards in his upcoming UFC 278 bout which takes place this 20th August in Utah.

Rising 170-pound stars such as Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad are also expected to lock horns with Usman in future bouts. UFC fights are always exciting and can be even more thrilling for waging enthusiasts and there are best betting sites in India at your disposal to help you out.

Such a glittering list of feats has placed Usman as the best welterweight on the planet right now, but does it make him the greatest welterweight fighter of all time? 

When it comes to looking at the history of MMA, the fandom has its picks from the top strata of from a legendary list of names. For lightweight, its either Khabib or BJ Penn, Anderson Silva is seen as the middleweight GOAT. Jon Jones or Wanderlei Silva are in conversations about the greatest Light Heavyweight, while the Heavyweight argument mostly lies between Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture.

When it comes to welterweight, all MMA fans know who is the most revered ever in the division- Georges St-Pierre. The Canadian is a two-time UFC Welterweight champion and in his second title reign, was an unstoppable force in the Octagon and exhausted the best the 170 division had to offer him. Aside from a whopping nine welterweight title defenses in his career, GSP even clinched the middleweight title in his last fight and is often considered by many as the single greatest MMA fighter to have lived.

To call Kamaru Usman the Weltweweight GOAT or not is an argument reserved for the fans. The Nigerian is no doubt the best in the division at the moment and is expected to continue his dominance in the days to come, but time will tell whether or not he can reach or surpass St-Pierre’s stature.

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