Francis Ngannou has praised Kamaru Usman following the latter’s victory over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta.
In the main event of UFC Atlanta, Kamaru Usman reminded us all why he’s one of the best welterweights of all time. The former champion dominated Joaquin Buckley through most of their encounter, landing nasty ground and pound after a series of successful takedowns. While Buckley had a strong fifth round, it wasn’t enough to overcome ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ – who seemed to look like himself again.
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A lot of people decided to write Usman off after three straight losses. Of course, they came against Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev, with the Chimaev defeat taking place on short notice. Kamaru is one of the most resilient fighters we’ve ever seen at 170 pounds and while it would’ve been easy for him to ride off into the sunset and retire, the 38-year-old clearly still feels like he’s got something to prove.
One man who was there to see all of the drama unfold was none other than Francis Ngannou. These two men have been close friends for a long time now, and it was great to see him back in a UFC environment. In a tweet after the event, Ngannou was quick to praise both Usman and his opponent Buckley for what they were able to produce.
Congrats to my brother @USMAN84kg for his amazing victory last night. It’s inspiring to see him do that after all he’s been through lately.
Congrats to @Newmansa94 on his impressive performance. That round 5! 🔥😱 pic.twitter.com/9BPh1uBg0h
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) June 15, 2025
