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The UFC is known for its various superstars. Whether it’s Conor McGregor’s larger-than-life personality, Khabib’s no-nonsense attitude, or Chuck Liddell’s badassery, there are plenty of stars that make fans feel emotions. However, one particular UFC fighter is vastly underrated in his craft: Kamaru Usman.
The Nigerian superstar has had an accomplished UFC career, winning numerous titles and honors. Whether it’s being the former UFC Welterweight Champion with five successful title defenses or winning the Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament, Usman has made a name for himself.
However, not as many people notice the former champion as they should. Why is that? Why haven’t people paid as much attention to Usman’s achievements as, say, Khabib? Or perhaps McGregor, who’s known for running his mouth and sparking controversy?
Kamaru Usman Isn’t As Boisterous
Kamaru Usman (20-4) is seen as a reserved personality. He’s not going to trash-talk his opponents into oblivion like McGregor. The “Nigerian Nightmare” is also reserved in his personality, refraining from going after people who anger him.
It’s easy to see why quiet fighters don’t draw as much attention as their counterparts. They don’t like being the center of attention, letting their fists do the talking. That’s what the former UFC Welterweight Champion does, taking down his opponents with his ability.
Consequentially, people won’t give a fighter their dues if they’re not talking the talk. With Usman, he plays it cool, calmly defeating his opponents with sheer ability. He’s also not winning fights in a flashy matter (nine knockouts), for he’s dictating the pace of the fight and also taking away the fighter’s strengths.
Kamaru Usman’s Victims
Additionally, that’s led to a laundry list of vanquished foes for Kamaru Usman. His impressive list of victories include:
- Colby Covington (twice)
- Jorge Masvidal (twice)
- Tyron Woodley
- Rafael dos Anjos
- Gilbert Burns
- Sean Strickland
Sprinkle in other accolades such as being CBS Sports’s “Fighter of the Year” (2021) and ESPN’s “Male Fighter of the Year” (2021) and he has a jaw-dropping resume.
Although he’s lost his last three fights, the “Nigerian Nightmare” has built up an impressive resume that features some of the best fighters. Additionally, he’s also gotten off to a hot start, building an impressive 20-1 record in his first 21 fights.
Usman isn’t going to wow people with his fighting style. He’s also not going to win over folks with his reserved personality. However, the former UFC Welterweight Champion deserves more recognition for his in-ring work. He’s built an impressive resume that also earned numerous accolades throughout his illustrious career.
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North Carolina reportedly considering nuclear option with Bill Belichick, and that's justified
Could "The Hoodie" be leaving Chapel Hill much sooner than expected? After hiring head coach Bill Belichick in December 2024, the North Carolina Tar Heels hoped the six-time Super Bowl champion would propel them into national title contention. Instead, they're 2-3 and 0-1 in ACC play. Following an embarrassing 38-10 home loss to the Clemson Tigers in Week 6, the school is reportedly considering a shocking move. North Carolina is reportedly considering firing Bill Belichick In a story published Tuesday, Andrew Jones of 247Sports reported North Carolina has had "potential exit strategy discussions" regarding Belichick. On Wednesday, Pat Welter of WRAL-TV in Raleigh revealed new information about what's going on behind closed doors, which could give the program more grounds to move on from the former New England Patriots coach. According to Welter, two players got into a fight at practice on Tuesday, and a parent said their son no longer wants to go to the facility because it's too "toxic." If that wasn't enough, The Athletic's Bruce Feldman has reported the school has suspended cornerbacks coach Armond Hawkins. The suspension is tied to allegations of extra benefits in a previous report by Welter. No wonder North Carolina wants to get rid of Belichick. Along with the scandals, he has failed to attract elite players. "There's no question that job No. 1 for any coach is attracting top talent to North Carolina, and I think that's where you start if you're the North Carolina administration," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer said Sunday on "Patriots Pregame Live." "You look at their roster and you say, 'You turned over 70 percent of the roster and that's what we're getting on a week-to-week basis?' ... I think there are lots of fair questions to ask in those departments." North Carolina kicking Belichick to the curb would be justified. He has failed to deliver results on the field. More importantly, he has reportedly created a mess that could leave the program in shambles.
Bengals QB Jake Browning angry about being benched for Joe Flacco, but team had no choice
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning has officially been benched, and he is not taking it lightly. Browning has started the last three games for the Bengals in the wake of a toe injury that Joe Burrow suffered in Week 2. After going 0-3 in those games, the Bengals decided to acquire Joe Flacco in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday. Bengals head coach Zac Taylor announced on Wednesday that Flacco will start in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers. That means the new guy is taking Browning's job right away, which is hardly a surprise. Jake Browning is not happy about losing his job Browning spoke with reporters shortly after Taylor revealed that Flacco will start in Green Bay. The 29-year-old quarterback said the situation "sucks" but that he understands how the business of the NFL works. "I think it sucks but, like I said, everyone's in the middle of a season. I think, 'Welcome to pro football,'" Browning said. "If you don't play well, you're gonna get replaced, and that's what I'm going through." Browning also admitted he is angry over being benched. Though, he said he is not willing to shoulder the blame for everything that has gone wrong for Cincinnati since Burrow went down. "For me, I'm trying to respond the right way. Obviously, I'm pi--ed. If I wasn't pi--ed, then I shouldn't be in this locker room," Browning added. "I'm aware of the role I played in the offensive struggles over the last few weeks, but I'm also not shouldering the entire situation. I went through yesterday, watched my throws, tried to come up with some stuff I want to work on, and just doing that." Zac Taylor had no choice but to make a switch Browning threw three interceptions in Cincinnati's 37-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He completed 26 of 40 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns as well, but anything positive that the veteran did came when the game was essentially out of hand. In his two starts prior to the Lions loss, Browning threw for a total of 265 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. The Bengals scored 13 points in the two games combined. Ja'Marr Chase looked extremely frustrated at times and even had a heated exchange with Taylor on the sideline. Taylor had been facing tremendous pressure from fans to make a quarterback change. It would not be a surprise if Cincinnati's front office and some players expressed a desire for Browning to be benched, as well.
Former Yankees, Mariners prospect hospitalized following motorcycle crash
Jesús Montero failed to develop into the baseball star that some thought he might, despite repeatedly appearing on preseason top prospect rankings. The former New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners catcher failed to capitalize on that potential and turn it into a long career. Once viewed as New York's "catcher of the future," Montero played in just 226 games during his five-year MLB career. His last professional appearance came during the 2020-21 Venezuelan Winter League, where he went 0-for-17 at the plate with six strikeouts. Montero, according to Spanish-language reports out of Venezuela, has been hospitalized in his home country following a traffic accident. The now 35-year-old was reportedly riding his motorcycle when a suspected drunk driver hit him. Montero is in critical condition after suffering multiple leg fractures, broken ribs and lung damage. Jesus Montero's Yankees stint lasted 18 games New York originally signed Montero as an international amateur free agent in 2006. The power-hitting prospect, one of the best bats available in the free agent class, was given a $2 million signing bonus. By 2009, Montero was appearing on preseason prospect rankings — landing on Baseball America's Top 100 list in four consecutive seasons. The Yankees called Montero up for his MLB debut when rosters expanded in September 2011. He'd appear in 18 games, hitting .328/.406/.590 with four home runs in 69 PA. Jesus Montero traded to Mariners in January 2012 Montero was traded, along with right-hander Héctor Noesí, to the Mariners the following offseason for right-handers Michael Pineda and Jose Campos. Over parts of four seasons, he batted .247/.285/.383 over 796 PA with 24 home runs. Seattle ultimately sent him down to Triple-A due to his defensive limitations with the hope that he'd learn to play first base. His Seattle tenure was marred by constant rumblings about his physical shape and attitude, including a 2014 incident where he threw an ice cream sandwich at a scout while on a rehab assignment.
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Cowboys coach makes it sound like personnel change some were expecting won't happen ahead of Week 6
The Dallas Cowboys are trending toward getting starting left tackle Tyler Guyton back for Week 6's matchup versus the Carolina Panthers. According to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Guyton is "finishing up" the concussion protocol and "hopefully, he'll be out of it shortly." However, after a standout performance from backup tackle Nate Thomas, it was unclear how secured Guyton's starting job protecting Dak Prescott's blindside. Some fans and even media members and content creators were expecting Thomas to keep the job over the former first-round. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer dissipated any doubts on Wednesday. "I'm a little bit old school, I don't really think you lose your job because of injury," Schottenheimer told reporters. "But it also doesn't guarantee that you're going to stay the full-time starter. It goes back to the whole mantra of 'compete everyday.' But when guys come back from injuries they're going to take their spot back." Though Schottenheimer was responding to a question that wasn't specifically about Guyton, the message was clear. Cowboys fans should expect Guyton back at left tackle when healthy, which could be as soon as next Sunday. Schottenheimer mentioned backups could earn increased playing time if they stand out while filling in for someone, but that's hard to do at offensive line. Continuity in the trenches is one of the most important aspects to an offensive line's success and rotating offensive tackles could do more harm than good. But does that mean Thomas' quality start meant nothing? Not quite. Could Nate Thomas compete for playing time moving forward? There's no question Thomas played a good game on Sunday and even in Week 4, when he handled Micah Parsons one-on-one more than once. During the Jets win, he showed his athleticism run blocking for Javonte Williams, including leading the way on his 66-yard run. So even if Thomas won't take Guyton's spot for good, he's played well enough to put Guyton and Terence Steele on notice. If they don't play good, there's a good backup waiting for his name to be called. And here's the thing: Thomas' name was called even before Guyton's injury. In Week 4's tie to the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys rotated Thomas in at right tackle, taking Steele's place even though the latter was healthy. Benching Guyton is tough because he's a first-round talent. Even if he hasn't been perfect so far, the Cowboys believe in his talent and upside. Plus, he's been playing better and better this year despite missing most of training camp due to a knee injury. But Steele? It's much more realistic to take his place. He's been a liability in pass protection. And yet, Steele could be a Top 3 run blocker on the team. What is clear is Thomas is making the Cowboys' coaching staff at least look at him and keep him in mind. I wouldn't be surprised if he winds up starting sooner rather than later. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
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