Nigeria’s Kamaru Usman has knocked out Gilbert Burns of Brazil to defend his UFC welterweight title for the third time.
The “Nigerian Nightmare” defeated his former teammate and challenger in round 3 to record a 13th consecutive victory in the 170lbs division at UFC 258.
The thrilling encounter took place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Usman, in his post-fight interview, said: “This one was hard for me because it’s hard for me to come in without all the emotions. Gilbert is a guy that I’ve known from the start. I love him and this one was tough for me to deal with.
“Everybody else, y’all need to put some respect on my f*cking name. I am the welterweight champion for a reason. I’m here to stay.”
The 33-year-old, who has been champion in the division since March 2019, is ranked No. 1.
He now has an 18-1 win fight record.