Mar 18, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Kamaru Usman reacts during his fight with Leon Edwards (not pictured) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

mma

‘We are the Four Horsemen’ – Kamaru Usman Welcomes The 4th African Champion With Arms Wide Open!

Kamaru Usman warmly embraces the newest African champion after the era of Three Kings ended!

Mar 18, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Kamaru Usman reacts during his fight with Leon Edwards (not pictured) during UFC 286 at O2 Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Mixed martial arts has come a long way from its early days when American and Brazilian fighters dominated the sport. Back in 2019, something extraordinary started happening in the UFC – the rise of African champions. It began with Kamaru Usman becoming the welterweight champion, followed by Israel Adesanya claiming the middleweight title. When Francis Ngannou captured the heavyweight crown, they dubbed themselves the “Three African Kings,” inspiring a whole continent of aspiring fighters.

Now, after Dricus Du Plessis’s impressive victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, the narrative has taken an interesting turn. Despite past tensions over Du Plessis’s claims about being the “real” African champion (which rubbed many the wrong way), Usman has shown remarkable grace in welcoming him to the fold.

Kamaru Usman Inducts Dricus Du Plessis In The African Champions Fold

Kamaru Usman made his thoughts clear in a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo. The former welterweight champ, known for his diplomatic approach outside the cage, cleverly rebranded the “Three African Kings” into the “Four African Horsemen.”

“With great power comes great responsibility. When you have that platform and you have that mic in your hand, you have to be careful with what you say…Dricus Du Plessis is the fourth African champion right now, so there are four horsemen. We’ve moved on from the three kings to where now it’s four horsemen.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ESPN MMA (@espnmma)

The journey to this point hasn’t been without its share of controversy. Dricus Du Plessis, who hails from South Africa, previously stirred up quite a storm by questioning the African credentials of Usman, Adesanya, and Ngannou because they trained elsewhere. He believed that he was the first ‘real’ African champion because he trained and stayed in South Africa.

However, Usman’s recent comments on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo show remarkable maturity. He acknowledged that while du Plessis’s marketing approach might have been questionable, it’s time to move forward and celebrate African success in the sport.

Also Read: Conor McGregor Retaliates, Goes Off On The Nurmagomedov Family After Paul Hughes Fight

Future Of African MMA

As fans enter 2025, the future looks bright for African MMA, with these four champions paving the way for the next generation. Dricus Du Plessis has already lined up his next challenge – a rematch with Sean Strickland. Israel Adesanya, despite coming off two losses hasn’t lost his sting. He is ready to face Nassourdine Imavov in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

As for Francis Ngannou, he saw great success in PFL, where he recently won against Renan Ferreira. Meanwhile, Kamaru Usman is planning his return to welterweight after his middleweight adventure against Khamzat Chimaev didn’t go as planned. But that is the fight game – sometimes you’re the hammer, sometimes you’re the nail!

(Image Credit: Per Haljestam – Imagn Images)

Dricus Du Plessis

Francis Ngannou

Israel Adesanya

Kamaru Usman

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!