UFC Fight Night 124 results: Kamaru Usman outwrestles Emil Meek to stay perfect in UFC

Kamaru Usman turned in a vintage performance against upstart Emil Meek, using his grappling and ground and pound to earn a decision.

It wasn’t the highlight-reel affair Usman (12-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC)wanted to convince UFC executives he’s ready for a title shot. But after 15 minutes, he outpointed Meek (9-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC), and picked up his seventh straight UFC win.

The welterweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC Fight Night 124 event at Scottrade Center in St. Louis. It aired on FS1 following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

The final scorecards were 30-27 for Usman, who after his win called out fellow welterweight contender Colby Covington.

Meek, a sizable underdog in betting lines, made things interesting early by storming in with punches and slapping on a guillotine choke when Usman changed levels. Stuck in the submission attempt, Usman endured a few tense moments before scooting his foe to the cage. There, he set the rhythm he would follow for the majority of the fight.

Every time Meek got too zealous in chasing down Usman with punches, he found himself fighting off a takedown attempt. Elbows helped delay the trip, but didn’t change the itinerary. On his back, he tried to damage Usman with a flurry from the bottom in the second. Usman replied with his own attack of elbows that shut it down.

Usman spent the majority of the final frame in the driver’s seat, firing down elbows and punches as his opponent floundered in a vain attempt to get back to his feet.

“I said from the start that (Meek_ wouldn’t be able to hang with me,” Usman said. “No one can. That’s why all of the guys in this division run from me. It is time for me to fight someone ranked above me. I want Colby Covington. He likes to talk a lot and I’ll be the one to shut him up. Dana White, that’s the fight. Let’s go.”

After a decision win over Jordan Mein in his octagon debut, Meek suffers his first UFC loss. Usman, meanwhile, puts to bed a brief rivalry that simmered over a canceled UFC 219 booking and moves on to the next challenge, which may put him on the cusp of title contention.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 124 results include:

• Kamaru Usman def. Emil Meek via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Darren Elkins def. Michael Johnson via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:22
• James Krause def. Alex White via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Marco Polo Reyes def. Matt Frevola via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:00
• Irene Aldana def. Talita Bernardo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Kyung Ho Kang def. Guido Cannetti via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:53
• Jessica Eye def. Kalindra Faria via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• J.J. Aldrich def. Danielle Taylor via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Mads Burnell def. Mike Santiago via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 124, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

(MMAjunkie’s John Morgan contributed to this report on site in St. Louis.)