June 10, (THEWILL)- June 10, (THEWILL)- The reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Champion, Kamarudeen “Kamaru” Usman, the Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler, has fulfilled his promise of touching base with the motherland.
THEWILL recalls that the champion had announced plans to make a trip back to Nigeria when he defeated Gilbert Burns, his long-time teammate and two-time No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, on April 24, 2021 at UFC 261 in Florida.
As the first Nigerian ever to be the undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Usman endeavoured to cement his dominance in the category.
His 14 consecutive wins makes the “Nigerian Nightmare” a record-setter for the longest ever holder of a win-streak in the division of UFC and he ha successfully defended his title five times.
On Thursday, Usman arrived Nigeria and visited the governor of Kogi Stage, Yahaya Bello, who received him in company of officials of the State and posed for pictures with the championship Belt straddling a shoulder.
Usman is expected to also make some stops in Lagos State before heading off to Edo State, his home ground. There, the champion plans to visit with family and friends to reconnect with everything he had missed in his lengthy absence.
Most importantly, Usman intends to initiate a community activation plan that involves making lives better for his people. It has been part of his plan for a while and he has the objective to start off with this opportunity.
The 34-year-old enjoyed a remarkable season with the fifth defense of his title this year. He had the pleasure of having his father witness him fight for the first time. After the victory, he shared the moment with the older Usman by strapping the Belt about his father’s waist while Major Muhammed Usman, (retd) was beaming with pride.
The Champion, who remains visibly excited to be visiting home post-COVID to be among his home-based supporters, had said about his thinking process: “I looked at my passport and realised I hadn’t been home since I was a kid, that’s when I knew it was time.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
