Kamaru Usman, a Welterweight contender who put on a show last night Sunday at UFC Fight Night 125 in St Louis and keep his undefeated UFC record intact by scoring a unanimous decision win over Emil Meek.
"The most dominant welterweight on the planet." 🌎
Do you agree w/ @Usman84KG? #UFCSTL pic.twitter.com/ctyxAVLuJw
— UFC (@ufc) January 15, 2018
During his post-fight interview, Usman said he was only at “30 percent” in this fight, before calling out top-ranked contender Colby Covington. (transcript via BloodyElbow)
“Listen, I fought this fight sitting at about 30 percent,” Usman told Paul Felder during his Octagon interview. “Everybody knows what I’m capable of, that was 30 percent right there, and I still dominated a tough so-called Viking. Dominated him, and I was at 30 percent.”
“You know what, I’m the most dominant and most well-rounded welterweight on the planet,” he continued. “Nobody could stop me, and that’s why they’re all afraid to fight me.”
“Listen, Colby, you could run, but you can’t hide. The Nigerian Nightmare is looking for you, and I’m gonna find you.”
Statements like that are never fitted with much mercy in the fight game, and UFC president didn’t amuse by Kamaru Usman’s post-fight comments. White said during the FOX Sports 1 post-fight show at St Louis.
“I agree with you. First of all, you don’t come out, when you have a performance like that – I didn’t love that fight by the way – yeah, he’s a tough guy, yeah, he can impose his will, but then you don’t jump up and start talkin’ smack like you just knocked somebody out or somethin’ and say you only went 30 percent.
“So what’s that mean? So what if you’re on a pay-per-per-view, you use 60 percent? It’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard somebody say. And you’re gettin’ booed out of the arena on top of it, so, I don’t know, we’ll see what’s next for him.”
As backlash started to grow, The Nigerian Nightmare went to explain himself through via social media.
Let me clear something up since some didn’t understand my post fight interview. What I meant was that I came into the fight at 30% health. I could’ve pulled out but I chose 2 stay the course & give @emilvalhalla his chance @ a top 10 guy. I fight anyone, anytime even at 30%.
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) January 15, 2018
Even at 30% health, dealing with adversity, & a game opponent like Meek I was still able to dominate.
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) January 15, 2018
Let me clear something up since some didn’t understand my post-fight interview. What I meant was that I came into the fight at 30% health. I could’ve pulled out but I chose 2 stay the course & give @emilvalhalla his chance @ a top 10 guy. I fight anyone, anytime even at 30%.
Even at 30% health, dealing with adversity, & a game opponent like Meek I was still able to dominate.
Kamaru Usman, now 12-1 with seven wins by stoppage, and his win streak has put him up among the best welterweights in the UFC as of right now.
