‘I want to effect change’: UFC champion Usman spreads MMA gospel in Nigeria

MIXED martial arts star Kamaru Usman says he intends to get more Nigerians involved in the sport.

Usman, who is an Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar, is currently in Nigeria and met with the sports minister Sunday Dare in Abuja on Friday.

The UFC is one of the world’s most popular combat events at the moment and Usman believes his native country should tap into its vast potential.

He expressed his excitement to be given a rousing reception by the minister and Nigerians.

“I’m delighted to be here and above all, during my visit to the country I aim at creating a long lasting relationship,” Usman said.

“I represent martial arts now and I want to work on making it easily accessible for everyone interested. I understand the responsibilities that I have with my platform and I want to put that to good use.

“I want to be able to effect change and part of being able to effect change is creating that foundation so people can actually see a future, different from what they see now. I understand the restrictions but with my space I want to be able to create something that will pull interested people out.”
Sports minister Sunday Dare charged Usman to use his influence to help develop mixed martial arts in Nigeria.

“Today we just hit another notch of excitement as a ministry and as a country having Kamaru Usman who is nicknamed “Nightmare” for his opponents in the octagon,” Dare said.

Usman has won 19 of his 20 UFC fights and is one of the most popular figures in the championship.

The 34-year-old UFC welterweight champion was born in Nigeria but emigrated to the United States and has American citizenship.

He left Nigeria as a child and is back home for the first time as an adult.

“It is commendable for you to have identified fully with your country and also the ministry that has the mandate for sports development,” Dare added.

“The ministry is concerned with the large number of youth who are engaged in sports and interested in your kind of sports because it has become the rave because it falls under the radar of the mixed martial arts and we are concerned about growing it.

“Having you here, as the champion, it will be great to have you headline that and start to see how at a national level and as a country we can work together to see your success remain and get other youths interested in this sport.

“Your story is well told, you signify the Nigerian spirit; that of being dogged and rising to the top the feats you have achieved is no mean feat.

“As the ministry of youth and sports development, we celebrate you and thank you for being a true Nigerian and remaining patrotic not just to share your success but to identify with the country.

The greatest beneficiaries of this visit will be the youth of the country who are interested in the mixed martial arts.”

Usman also visited the Abuja office of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, where he met with the Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.