Kamaru Usman is one of the best UFC fighters ever. In fact, Dana White just called him the greatest welterweight fighter of all time. At UFC 294, he will be fighting as a middleweight in one of the biggest fights of the year against Khamzat Chimaev. Usman wasn't originally supposed to be in this fight, but he filled in late after Chimaev's opponent, Paulo Costa, had to step down because of a recent surgery. It is a big opportunity for Usman in a career that has been filled with big moments. Those big moments have led to a lot of money for the former champion. Kamaru Usman's net worth in 2023 is $3 million. In this article, we will take a deeper dive into how Usman came to his wealth.

Kamaru Usman's net worth in 2023 (estimate): $3 million

Kamaru Usman, Paulo Costa, Khamzat Chimaev, UFC 294

Kamaru Usman's net worth is $3 million, according to sites including celebritynetworth.com and wealthygorilla.com. This number would likely rise if he were able to secure a victory at UFC 294.

The majority of Usman's wealth has come from his time in the UFC. He has been a big name with the company since debuting in 2015.

Nicknamed “The Nigerian Nightmare,” Usman is one of the best fighters in the UFC, but that hasn't necessarily led to tons of popularity. Usman's fighting style is effective, but it isn't necessarily crowd-pleasing. He is a technical and patient fighter who thrives more as a wrestler than as a striker.

Because of this, Usman doesn't have a lot of sponsorships or endorsements. His biggest purse came in his second fight against Jorge Masvidal when he won $690,000. In a sport with a lot of big personalities, Usman lets his fighting do the talking for him. He does, however, have an endorsement deal with Trifecta, a company that makes nutrition programs.

Kamaru Usman: early career

Born in Nigeria, Usman's family moved to Dallas, TX, when he was eight years old. He quickly became a prolific wrestler. Usman went 53-3 as a wrestler in his senior year of high school.

Usman started his collegiate career at William Penn University. After a year that ended in frustration when he couldn't attend a tournament due to a snowstorm, Usman transferred to the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The wrestler had a great career at UNK. He placed in the top three in the nation in back-to-back-to-back years, won 30 straight matches as a senior, and became the national champion at 174 pounds in 2010.

After college, Usman turned his attention to Olympic wrestling, but injuries forced him to change directions. This led to Usman's MMA career. He started out his career 5-1 while working for various promotions. Eventually, Usman was given a chance on The Ultimate Fighter 21. After a Performance of the Night victory, Usman won the event and was awarded a UFC contract.

Kamaru Usman: UFC career

Usman made his official UFC debut in 2015 against Leon Edwards. Usman won the bout, but it led to a rivalry that wouldn't be settled for years.

The Nigerian Nightmare would go on to win 15 straight UFC fights. This is the third-longest streak in the history of the sport. This included wins over some of the biggest names in the sport, including Sean Strickland and Rafael Dos Anjos.

The grappling expert eventually won the Welterweight Championship belt when he beat Tyron Woodley in 2019. Usman successfully defended the title five times, including over elite fighters like Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal.

Usman lost the title at UFC 278 to Leon Edwards, the man he beat years earlier at the beginning of his career. He again lost in the rubber match between the two at UFC 286. The two losses were the first losses of Usman's UFC career.

Now, Usman looks to rejuvenate his career at UFC 294. As a fill-in, Usman will fight in the co-main event against Khamzat Chimaev. Usman is the number one ranked contender in welterweight and the number seven pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Chimaev is the fourth-ranked welterweight. The two are moving up a weight class to fight in middleweight.

Usman coasted through the majority of his UFC career, but he is finally facing adversity. Beating Chimaev will be no easy task either. Chimaev is not only undefeated in MMA, but he is also one of the few fighters who can match Usman's grappling abilities.

Losing three straight fights would be devastating for Usman's career going forward. While his legacy can't be tarnished, Usman needs a win if he wants to continue fighting for championships. It makes his decision to accept the fight only 11 days before the fight even more impressive. Regardless of the outcome, UFC 294 is one of the biggest UFC events in recent memory. Usman and Chimaev are co-main event with Islam Makhachev and Alexander Volkanovski.