Yas Island (United Arab Emirates) (AFP)

Last year, Kamaru Usman became the first MMA fighter of African descent to win a UFC world title and has seen a generation of sportsmen from the continent rise in his wake since then.

In March 2019, the 33-year-old Floridian, born in Nigeria, won the UFC welterweight belt by unanimous decision against American Tyron Woodley (19-6-1).

He has since defended it twice, with a KO victory over American Colby Covington (16-2) in December and unanimous decision on points against compatriot Jorge Masvidal (35-14) in July.

According to Kamaru Usman, this is just the beginning, given the African fighters already signed by the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), the organizer of fights based in Las Vegas: "There are so many talents that come from 'Africa."

In October 2019, New Zealand's Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya (19-0) won the middleweight belt by eliminating Australian Robert Whittaker (21-5).

He will appear again on September 26 to defend his title against Brazilian Paulo Costa.

A fight which will be, according to many connoisseurs of the sport, the one of the year.

- Serious customers -

In the UFC heavyweight category, the No. 1 challenger is France-based Cameroonian Francis Ngannou (15-3), who is expected to face defending champion American Stipe Miocic (20-3) soon.

For their part, Nigerian-American lightweights Sodiq Yusuff (11-1) and Ghanaian welterweight Abdul Razak Alhassan (10-2) are considered serious clients in their respective categories.

“When I see these guys, there's an inexplicable sense of camaraderie,” Usman told AFP.

"You know deep down they felt what you felt and experienced what you went through."

Over the past 16 months, Kamaru Usman has been through a lot.

In addition to the welterweight title, in February he reunited with his father, Muhamed Nasiru Usman, who served a ten-year prison sentence in the United States after his conviction in 2010 on a series of fraud charges in the field of health.

“As an African boy, it is necessary to go above and beyond for his parents. It happened when I was recognized at the national level. I was looking for his approval and I no longer had my father to rely on. bothered for years. But we were always close and it stayed that way. "

Kamaru Usman's father, a former soldier, left his young family in Nigeria in 1989 to build a new life for them in the United States, said Usman, who was then two years old and would join the United States a few years later.

- University wrestling champion -

"To leave your children and go to America to get a visa, to give them a better life, you need guts. Going through what he's been through while still remaining positive, and keeping morale up, is a source of inspiration. daily inspiration. "

An outstanding high school wrestler in Texas and three-time American champion at the University of Nebraska, Usman says he was accepted as a young athlete: “Around the world, we sometimes forget that sport bridges the gap between cultures and nations. "

“As I started to excel in the sport, I realized that I was not just that little Nigerian boy. I was the fighter who came from Nigeria.”

Usman should have returned to Nigeria as part of a trip with a foundation that he hopes will be able to work with poor villages.

A trip canceled due to the pandemic.

But the native of Benin City intends to return to his native country.

"You have a responsibility when the children watch what you do. The biggest advantage of this sport is that it knows no face, no race (...) You can come from small towns in Africa as well as from China. It doesn't matter. I hope they can meet me and maybe it helps them see what can be accomplished, "he said.

© 2020 AFP