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The UFC Welterweight division is one of the most popular UFC weight classes. It ranges from 155 pounds to 170 pounds and hosts some of the biggest names in the Ultimate Fighting Championships.
Kamaru Usman needs to defend his title for the 3rd year in a row, let’s see what the UFC betting odds think about his chances.
Kamaru Usman
The current reigning champion, Kamaru Usman, has held the title for 3 years. Originally, Usman started his career as a freestyle wrestler and studied as a folkstyle wrestler. But in 2012 Usman made the switch to MMA. Just 3 years later, Usman made it into the UFC. His first fight ended in a unanimous decision in his favor.
The UFC Welterweight Champion isn’t Usman’s only title though. He has won the Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament in 2021 and is the current number 1 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Ever since Usman has entered professional tournaments he has claimed numerous titles. But the real question is “can he keep this one?”
Usman’s current mixed martial arts record suggests he can. He has been in 21 matches, 20 of which he has won. 9 of those were from knockouts, 1 was via submission, and 10 were through decisions.
Those are some rare numbers.
Colby Covington
Covington is Usman’s strongest competition. In June 2021 he was given the number one ranking for UFC fighters in the Welterweights division (a list that excludes current reigning champions).
This shouldn’t be a surprise as Covington was the reigning champion for 5 years until Usman came along. In their 2019 match, Usman knocked down Covington twice. Both happened in the fifth round, but the second knock down was followed by a flurry of strikes so constant that the referee had to stop the fight.
In the end, Usman won through a technical knockout.
Enraged, Covington asked for a rematch, which wasn’t granted until 2021 (due to the Covid Pandemic). It was a close match between the two amazing fighters, but in the end, the judges gave Usman the win through a unanimous decision.
Covington is desperate to get his championship title back, and it’s not an impossible dream. His current record shows he has participated in 20 matches, won 17 of them, and lost 3. Of the 17, 4 were won through knockouts, 4 through submission, and 9 through decisions.
Leon Edwards
Edwards started fighting in 2008, then turned professional in 2010. In his amateur year, he was able to beat Carl Booth into submission after just two rounds.
This quick turnaround is enough to show you just how much raw talent Edwards has. One year later, Edwards joined Fight UK MMA and then BAMMA where he became the BAMMA champion.
From one win to the next, Edwards decided to join UFC in 2014 but was defeated in his first match. With challenges worthy of his raw talent, Edwards learned new skills, honed his abilities, and became the second-ranked UFC welterweight champion we all know and love.
Edwards’ current record stands as follows. He has been in 23 matches, winning 19 and losing 3. Of his 19 wins, Edwards won 6 through knockouts, 3 through submission, and 10 through decision.
Of his 3 losses, 2 of them were through decision, and 1 was through disqualification. The last time Edwards lost a fight was in 2015, making him a real contender for the championship.
Khamzat Chimaev
Chimaev is a 3 time Swedish National champion and his 0 losses record makes him a massive threat for the championships. You may wonder how someone with 0 losses isn’t the current reigning champion, and it’s the same reason that Edwards’ last loss was in 2015.
Both Chimaev and Edwards were scheduled to fight in December 2020, Chimaev’s debut year in UFC. However, both fighters were infected with Covid-19 which meant that neither could finish the championship.
For Chimaev to be ranked 3rd in the welterweight championship, after just one year in UFC, should speak volumes about his talents. If he hadn’t contracted the virus, he could have taken on Usman! Remember that in his match against Meerschaert, Chimaev knocked out the legendary fighter after just 17 seconds.
Chimaev has fought in 11 matches, all of which he has won. 6 were through knockouts, 4 through submission, and just 1 through decision. Chimaev is the king of knockouts!
Gilbert Burns
Burns is a grappling expert, having won the World Championship 3 times, and became a World Cup gold medal winner. Burns has won gold in almost every tournament he has participated in yet the UFC has evaded him.
On April 9th, 2022, Burns was up against Chimaev and although he lost through a unanimous decision, it was one of the best fights we had seen in years. They were awarded the Fight of the Night award for such a display.
Burns’ record is as follows. 25 matches with 20 wins and 5 losses. Of the 20 wins, 6 were through knockouts, 8 through submission, and 6 through decision.
Summary
Due to the pandemic, we don’t know if Chmaev or Edwards could handle a fight against Usman, but the numbers suggest they can. This year the ring will be filled with tension as the best players fight it out to prove their worth like never before!