At UFC 278, Kamaru Usman was dethroned by Leon Edwards in one of the most spectacular moments of 2022. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was handed his first-ever promotional defeat, and Usman is now seeking to remind Edwards who the greater man is. The pair will face off in the main event of UFC 286 next weekend.
Will Harris, the founder of the popular YouTube channel Anatomy of a Fighter, captured Usman’s early preparations for the trilogy fight in London. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ reflected on the importance of maintaining an honest perspective about what happened at UFC 278.
Kamaru Usman highlighted the importance of remaining truthful in the face of failure, and believes that he will “remind” Leon Edwards of who “is less than” when the octagon door closes at UFC 286:
“For me, it’s imperative that I continue to be honest with myself… I can’t lie to myself and trick it, because once [we] get [in the octagon] your heart truly knows. I try to be as honest with myself as possible. There is a process, you know, when you get hit with a certain technique you have to make sure that doesn’t happen again. It’s a matter of me still remembering who I am, going in there and being mindful of what has happened. But ultimately, reminding him who he is. Who is less than.”
Watch the video below:
The pair are currently 1-1 against each other and will look to settle the score once and for all at UFC 286. In 2015, Kamaru Usman defeated Leon Edwards with a unanimous decision, but ‘Rocky’ was able to even out the score with an emphatic headkick KO at UFC 278 last year.
Jamahal Hill predicts that Kamaru Usman will beat Leon Edwards
UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill has picked Kamaru Usman to defeat Leon Edwards at UFC 286 next weekend to regain the welterweight title.
Hill believes that Edwards is a more complete fighter, and stated that he “could easily see Leon winning.” Despite his respect for Edwards’ ability, Jamahal Hill predicted that Usman would be crowned the champion once again.
‘Sweet Dreams’ recently spoke to MMA journalist James Lynch, where he stated:
“I think Leon is more well-rounded, he’s a better fighter, [more] complete [than Usman]. He just has that timing, knowing what to do. And now that he’s felt [Usman] and understands how to keep the fight standing, I could see Leon winning again. But, I’m gonna go with Kamaru.”
Watch the video below from 0:35:
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