“I am PEDAL to the METAL” – Kamaru Usman shuts down claims of him being lethargic in final round against Leon Edwards
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Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman is the kind of champion he is because of his mentality. However, his championship was truly tested in his recent fight against Leon Edwards at UFC 278. The Nigerian Nightmare was caught lacking in the final minute and faced a devastating defeat.
If you had told anyone that Leon Edwards was going to be the champion until the final minute of the fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 278, no one would have believed. However, that is where the beauty of mixed martial arts lies as “Rocky” managed to turn things around in the last minute of the championship fight which he was losing.
Leon Edwards did not only become the champion of the welterweight division but also handed Usman his first-ever loss in the UFC. Kamaru was winning the fight 3-1 going into the final round and was also winning the championship round until the final minute when he got knocked out with a headkick. Many believed that the champ was too confident that he was going to cruise past that fight given there was only one minute left and his opponent was pretty much broken by that time. Usman responds to claims of him coasting in the 5th round in a recent interview.
“That’s not who I am” – Kamaru Usman says he fights until the bell goes
Despite facing one of the most horrifying defeats, the former champ seems to be in good spirits and agreed to an interview with TMZ Sports. The Nigerian Nightmare reacted to his loss at UFC 278 and also responded to the criticisms he faced. “When I watched the fight over, I listened to the commentary and they were talking about that. No, that’s not who I am. When I fight there’s a reason I go…I’m pedal to the metal,” said Usman in the interview.
“I don’t look at the clock. Many people have noticed and asked me why I look at the clock in between rounds. That’s because I am a goer. I am going! I am non-stop. I don’t look at the clock. I hear the bell and I still want to go…I wanted a finish but it was just a beautiful technique [from Leon],” added Kamaru.
It is safe to say that the former champ was not looking to coast the final round and get another title defense under his belt. The fighter truly wanted a finish that stopped him from taking his opponent down. However, in the end, Leon’s headkick was just meant to land.
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Prateek Athanur
(2944 Articles Published)