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UFC's Kamaru Usman Open to Doing 'Dancing with the Stars': 'I Can Get It Down'
February 18, 2021
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman says he'd enjoy competing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
Usman, who defeated Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 on Saturday to defend his title for the third time, told TMZ Sports in an interview released Thursday he's confident in his ability to capture the Mirrorball Trophy.
"I do my thing! I do my thing! That's the thing with me is, I understand that practice makes perfect, and I'm disciplined enough to be able to train at it," he said. "So anything, if I need to work at it, do the moves, learn 'em, boom! I'm in there. I can get it down."
Usman has emerged as a dominant MMA fighter with 13 straight wins since joining the UFC ranks in 2015, bringing his career record to 18-1.
The 33-year-old Nigerian standout won the welterweight belt from Tyron Woodley in 2019 and has since defended it against Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Burns.
He would become the fourth UFC fighter to appear on Dancing with the Stars. Chuck Liddell took part in Season 9 in 2009, while Randy Couture competed in Season 19 in 2014. Both finished in 11th place. Paige VanZant nearly won the competition as the runner-up in Season 22 in 2016.
ABC hasn't announced details for Season 30 of DWTS, but the last three years have seen the popular reality show run from September through November.
The UFC's partnership with ESPN, which like ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Company, may give Usman an inside track on being cast either next season or in the coming years.
Competitors with athletic backgrounds tend to do well on the show. Twelve of the 29 winners were athletes, which could make Usman a top contender if he's selected.