Kamaru Usman at the UFC press conference following his win at UFC 258For the second Saturday in a row, the Ultimate Fighting Championship was in play this past weekend, as usual offering up a nice card of quality fighting entertainment. There were several high-level wrestlers originally scheduled to do their thing, but after two-time California high school state place-winner Bobby Green fainted at weigh-ins, we lost his fight against UFC 155-pound veteran Jim Miller. New Jersey's Miller was also a former All-State wrestler for Sparta High School back in 2002. In total there were three former wrestlers in action, chief among them 170-pound UFC king Kamaru Usman in the main event. On to the performances …
Kamaru Usman
Wrestling resume: Third place at Texas high school state championships, NAIA national qualifier (William Penn), three-time NCAA Division II All-American, two-time national finalist, 2010 national champ (UNK), resident athlete at Colorado Springs OTC, 2010 university world team member.
Back in July, I had opined that while extremely skilled and obviously very successful thus far, UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman had not yet put in his signature performance inside the cage. He's been undeniably effective, has shined brightly against an overmatched foe or two, and has dug deep to pull out hard-fought wins against high-caliber opponents, but he hadn't yet put all the pieces together. Despite this, the 33-year-old Usman finds himself with an 18-1 overall MMA record, is undefeated inside the UFC, and has now defended his title on three occasions. This should give you some idea of the massive pugilistic potential possessed by Usman. I believe he can and will improve his ability considerably.
On Saturday night Usman found himself in the cage with arguably his most dangerous foe yet. With his cache at an all-time high after his pillar-to-post drubbing of Tyron Woodley, challenger Gilbert Burns brought world-class submission ability, nasty kickboxing, fantastic takedowns, and serious aggression with him into the cage for his first UFC title fight. If Usman had a bit of a tendency to let off the throttle at times, looking a bit underwhelming as a result, he wouldn't have a chance to do so against Burns.
If the result wasn't the signature performance of Usman's career, it was damn close. He looked outstanding. Despite being badly hurt early on by Burns' punches, Usman wouldn't be denied. He was as durable as he needed to be, able to gradually turn up the dial on his offense as the fight went on. A huge welterweight with grit and determination for days, the champ was able to take everything the formidable challenger could dish out, eventually finding his groove thanks to his ever-expanding wealth of experience and some phenomenal coaching.
Usman usually fights best in close quarters, establishing the takedown threat early, and eventually uncorking the big straight right hand. He won this fight with a very different game plan. Leaning heavily on his jab and some slick low leg kicks, Usman won this fight with intelligence, patience, tact, and technique. It was a real pleasure to watch. When a man as physically armed as Usman can now win fights with this sort of approach, he becomes a riddle not many will be up to solving. Kamaru Usman looked fantastic. Having said that, the crazy thing is, he can still improve.
Considering his chosen fighting identity, Usman has much room for improvement. If he were content to make wrestling the base of his game, launching all offense from the clinch or from an established takedown threat, I'd say that his title-winning performance against Woodley could be his masterpiece. But that's not the type of fighter Usman aspires to be. Not only does he yearn for all-time great status, he wants to be able to kickbox and grapple with the best of them, in addition to being able to out-wrestle anyone. Given his goals, Usman is still a bit stiff and has a smidge of hesitation in his execution. Should he focus on his movement as he soldiers on as champion, I believe we may see a truly awe-inspiring performance from the champ in the next few fights.
Kelvin Gastelum
Wrestling resume: Arizona high school state champion, ranked as high as fifth in the nation as a freshman at North Idaho College.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 tournament winner Kelvin Gastelum has always been regarded as a highly skilled, highly technical, but inconsistent fighter. For years he has blended head-scratching, uninspired performances with real deal cream of the crop talent showcases. He sports a cool, calm demeanor inside the cage and is almost equally proficient in all three phases of an MMA contest. And now, he also has experience on his side as he sports an 11-6-1 record over eight years in the UFC.
Despite losing his last three fights, Gastelum is a fighter known to have the ability to show up at any time and remind people why he is never far from the top 10 division rankings. On Saturday night, the Arizona native was matched up with a fighter we still don't know what to expect from. Ian Heinisch (more on him later) is older than Gastelum by almost three years, but has half the MMA experience and comparatively, even less UFC experience. Heinisch also has an absolute ton of offensive firepower.
Gastelum shined on Saturday night. He edged his opponent in every area of the contest and he looked good doing it. His hands were sharp, his takedowns executed beautifully, and his scrambles very much on point. Gastelum showed just how much experience and poise under pressure can affect the outcome of a fight. We had a definite fight on our hands as Heinisch wasn't going away quietly, but as the fight wore on, Gastelum became more and more comfortable and cruised to a unanimous decision victory. It was a fun fight and a three-dimensional performance that suggests Gastelum has much left in the tank.
Ian Heinisch
Wrestling resume: Colorado high school state champion, two-time Fargo All-American (Greco-Roman), briefly on the roster at North Idaho College.
Still relatively young in the game, with a ton of desire, and quite gifted physically, Ian Heinisch is a fighter learning on the job as he attempts to navigate the shark-infested waters of the UFC. With all the offensive horsepower he will ever need, heavy hands, very strong wrestling, and a great disposition for fighting, it's easy to root for Heinisch as he always brings it on fight night.
Heinisch showed up on Saturday night with just about all the muscle one could pack onto a 185-pound frame, looking confident and enjoying himself as a fighter in the big show. Things started great as he hit a picturesque level-change and double leg against his more experienced foe. He brought the fight right at Kelvin Gastelum and was soon cranking all his might into his first of a few dangerously close submission attempts. Heinisch threw big punches, on-the-money low kicks, and even a couple well-timed, well-placed flying knees. Despite putting in a very respectable performance complete with a lot of impressive offense, Heinisch just happened to be weak in the very areas that his opponent was strong. Namely, fight IQ, BJJ, and pacing. If Heinisch has the desire and the ability to hang in there and keep plugging away, he will be an immediate contender as soon as he makes his next leap in fighting ability.
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