Though UFC’s debut in Chile had been stirring a lot of anticipation, it managed fairly to live up to its expectations. I say “fairly managed” because the main card event of Kamaru Usman vs. Demian Maia failed to gather the attention it deserved. Although the fight saw Kamaru Usman emerge victorious, the bout lacked any real action that would make the fans go frenzy.
Instead the brawl was a series of slow kickboxing that lasted for five rounds. “Nigerian Nightmare” found Demian Maia too difficult to finish off turning a supposedly-eccentric-fight into a series of slow-motion-boredom-bout. The only move that created some excitement was a knock down from Usman’s right hand during round 4.
The unanimous decision win makes it Nigerian Nightmare’s 12th back-to-back victory. Though devoid of fiery action, the fight accounts for Kamaru’s biggest win thus far.
Usman boasts an outstanding physique and is capable of phenomenal takedown defence. But his striking needs a lot of attention, and with his current fighting style, it would take a very long time to gather a fanbase. Although he has rich experience and an undeniable potential, the “Nigerian Nightmare” is not what everyone would be too eager to watch.
