Pros React to Kamaru Usman Claiming Welterweight Gold at UFC 235

    Kamaru Usman UFC
    Kamaru Usman Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

    Kamaru Usman wasn’t expected to win. He certainly wasn’t expected to dominate Tyron Woodley. He did both at UFC 235. Here’s what the pros thought.

    For once, Tyron Woodley was the favorite heading into a title fight. Maybe he shouldn’t have been. The favorite was upset Saturday at UFC 235. Not just upset, dominated. Kamaru Usman, a.k.a. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare,’ took him to school. He took him down early and often. Softened him up with blows to the body. And ultimately, walked away with the title.

    Rarely do you see a reigning champion in the UFC lose with multiple scores of 50-44. Yet that was the case at UFC 235. Not a single judge gave Tryon Woodley a round. Near the end of the fourth, in his best moment of the fight, Woodley unleashed a barrage of strikes. The problem, Usman answered back. Landed more. Rocked the champion.

    Now, the wrestler Ben Askren has been calling ‘Marty from Nebraska’ is ‘Marty with the title.’ Whether it’s Colby Covington, or Askren himself, next, remains to be seen. But while few chose Usman to win at UFC 235, even fewer expected that level of dominance. That’s something Kamaru Usman can revel in.

    See how the pros reacted to Usman winning the welterweight title below.

    Daddy did it!

    The reffing was baffling

    We know, we just had to!

    Colby Showed Up

    Dominance