Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, has extended warm congratulations to former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman following his successful return to the octagon on Sunday morning in Atlanta, United States.
Responding to Usman’s victory over American fighter Joaquin Buckley, Dabiri-Erewa described the Nigerian athlete’s performance as a proud moment for the nation, praising him as a genuine ambassador representing Nigeria on the global stage.
“Congratulations to the Nigerian Nightmare, Kamaru Usman, as he beats Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta. Proudly Nigerian. Hearty congratulations,” she wrote on her official X account, sharing a collage of images from the fight alongside a photo of herself with Usman holding the welterweight belt in 2021.
At 37 years old, Usman ended a nearly four-year winless streak with a commanding unanimous decision win over Buckley in the welterweight division, reminding fans and critics of his elite standing in mixed martial arts.
The judges scored the fight 49–46, 49–46, and 48–47 in favor of the Nigerian-American, who displayed his trademark wrestling prowess and tactical intelligence throughout the five-round contest.
Usman dominated the early rounds, out-landing Buckley 16–0 in significant strikes and controlling the pace through consistent takedowns and superior cage management.
“It feels good. It’s been a while,” Usman said in his post-fight interview.
“I needed to get that monkey off my back. I know I’m still able to compete at the highest level.”
Now holding a professional MMA record of 21 wins and four losses, Usman took a moment to address critics who have questioned his durability due to previous injuries.
“I know it’s a running joke. Everybody wants to get on the internet and talk sht, ‘Oh his knees, his knees.’ Well, shut the f** up,” he said defiantly.
“I can still do what I do.”
Throughout the bout, the experienced former champion outsmarted the younger, more aggressive Buckley, gradually wearing him down. Despite Buckley’s late surge in the fifth round, Usman’s earlier dominance ensured a decisive victory, ending Buckley’s six-fight unbeaten streak.
This win marked Usman’s first since November 2021 and could signal the start of another run at the title.
He made his intentions clear, expressing his desire to compete for the UFC championship again and warning potential challengers that he remains a formidable competitor.
“Well, I could do that to anybody, any one of them,” he said confidently.
“Those knockouts will come. The next one, whoever it is for that title, I’mma see about you.”
Visibly emotional after the fight, Usman thanked his team, fans, and family, though he noted the absence of his daughter due to personal reasons.
“It’s been a long time. A lot of emotions, a lot of things that I had to battle back from. I’m holding back all the emotions,” he said.
