Kamaru Usman feels motivated to return to the UFC in the next couple of months.
For the first time in Kamaru Usman’s professional career, he has lost two fights in a row. Since coming to the UFC back in 2015, Usman was winning at welterweight. He was so dominant that it only took him nine fights from winning The Ultimate Fighter to winning his first UFC title. He defended that title five times before he met his match with Leon Edwards. Edwards now holds two wins over Usman, and for the first time in many years there will be a welterweight title fight that does not feature “The Nigerian Nightmare.”
Usman is taking some time to reflect on his most recent loss but is finding that he is enjoying his process. He could want to return to the UFC sooner than most people have anticipated.
Kamaru Usman is rekindling his love for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts
Usman sat down with another combat sports legend, Mike Tyson on his podcast called Hotboxin with Mike Tyson. They spoke about his mental journey since losing the title and the rematch. Usman says he is in a good place. He is back in the gym and looking forward to his UFC return.
“People were more upset that I lost than I was. People were devastated. I get messages all the time. I am fully aware, I know that I’m the best welterweight, for sure, in the division, I know that,” he said. “I’m just in the place where I’m loving the sport again, falling in love with the sport again. I’ve been training now and I just feel stronger. I’m doing certain things, and I’m liking that process again. I’m loving falling in love with the sport again, to where, for me, I might just wanna pop out in the next couple of months and beat somebody up again. I’m really starting to feel that. But it’s at my own terms now.”
It has only been one month since his loss to Edwards in London. Edwards seems to be waiting for the end of the year to return to action against Colby Covington. Usman has faced both of those men several times, Edwards, three times, and Covington twice. It seems unlikely that the UFC will book him with Edwards for a fourth time, but perhaps if Covington is holding the title that fight could be of interest.
