What is a fight without a little adversity?
Overcoming An Injury
For Kamaru Usman, he was dealt with a bad hand entering his high-stakes rematch against Colby Covington. The UFC Welterweight Champion would still get the win, taking a unanimous decision from the judges, despite a tough injury.
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ wouldn’t even result to his offensive wrestling given his limiting abilities. He would stand his ground and eventually drop Covington twice, with his hands.
Usman revealed that he broke his right hand 3-4 weeks before his title fight at Madison Square Garden. It was a big injury right before his entrance to ‘The Big Apple’. However, Usman wouldn’t pull out of the fight even with such a negative factor headed into the event.
“When you do something as rigorous as we do, you might have broken hands here and there.” Usman said on The Full Send Podcast. “I broke [my hand] before the fight. Most people didn’t know that. I broke it three weeks before and I didn’t throw it a day until the fight itself.
“I didn’t throw it until [I was] backstage [on fight night]. I didn’t throw my hands for three weeks, my right hand.
The Cause
What was to blame for Kamaru Usman’s broken hand? The culprit would be the hard head of Justin Gaethje. Usman would shatter his hand while sparring with ‘The Highlight’.
“I broke it on someone’s head, Justin Gaethje’s head. We’re like main training partners/big brother, little brother. Two assassins in the same place… He gets the better of me sometimes.”
Kamaru Usman’s abilities may have been near to 30%, but the champ gave a 100% effort in his fight against Colby Covington. Injury or no injury, Usman is always looking for a challenge. Whether that’s Canelo next in the boxing ring or GSP inside the Octagon. He’s ready for anything.
