Kamaru Usman accepts that some of Khamzat Chimaev‘s trash talk has stuck with him.
However, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is seemingly not concerned about Chimaev going into his title fight against Leon Edwards next weekend at UFC 278.
Usman credited Edwards’ impressive nine-fight winning streak and claims to be taking ‘Rocky’ seriously. However, the UFC welterweight champion won’t refrain from digging up Chimaev’s comments when it’s time for him to face ‘Borz’. The 35-year-old recently told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto:
“Oh, he said a lot of things. But he’s not the next guy up, so I don’t have to worry about him. When he is the next guy up, all those things come out… You can’t think too far ahead and miss the mark of where I am right now. Leon is that guy… But Khamzat has said a few things, you know, they are just back there in the vault. When it’s time to go back there and open it up, we’ll open it up.”
Surging Chechen-born Swede contender Khamzat Chimaev has not missed any opportunities to call out Usman. ‘Borz’ is confident of dethroning the UFC welterweight champion when he gets his title shot.
Kamaru Usman accepts Khamzat Chimaev will get him more charged up than Leon Edwards
Kamaru Usman is scheduled to meet Leon Edwards at the Vivint Arena in Utah at UFC 278 this weekend. The UFC pound-for-pound king will almost certainly have walked through the entire welterweight division if he defends his throne against ‘Rocky’.
However, hopes of dethroning Usman have been pinned on a new addition to the list of welterweight contenders.
Currently riding a five-fight win streak in the UFC, Khamzat Chimaev has long been touted as an equal match for Usman.
Usman recently agreed that he will be charged up more for a bout against ‘Borz’ than his upcoming bout against Edwards. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto:
“I would be lying if I said that I won’t be getting up much more for that one, because, hey, everywhere I go, people are gonna say — like Covington 1, everywhere I went in the world, people brought it up. So, it’s almost impossible not to get up for it. So, yeah, it’s almost gonna be impossible to say I won’t get up a little bit more for it. But I have to have the ability to restrain myself.”
Watch Usman’s interview with ESPN below: