Francis Ngannou praises Kamaru Usman's return to form at UFC Atlanta, calls it 'inspiring' after tough stretch
Former UFC heavyweight kingpin Francis Ngannou has a message for his friend Kamaru Usman, who returned to winning ways against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta.
Ngannou made his first appearance at a UFC event in years and was present with Usman throughout the fight week. He also donned UFC gear and got on stage with 'The Nigerian Nightmare' during the ceremonial weigh-ins earlier this week.
On fight night, Ngannou was in attendance, seated in the front row to support Usman. After a five-round war, Usman, who fought a well-measured bout against Buckley, won by unanimous decision.
Later, Ngannou took to X to commend his friend and 'New Mansa.' He wrote:
"Congrats to my brother @USMAN84kg for his amazing victory last night. It's inspiring to see him do that after all he's been through lately. Congrats to @Newmansa94 on his impressive performance. That round 5! 🔥😱"
Check out Francis Ngannou's comments below:
Kamaru Usman talks about Francis Ngannou attending UFC Atlanta
Given the tense relationship between Francis Ngannou and UFC CEO Dana White, fans were taken aback by Ngannou's decision to support Kamaru Usman during fight week by being present in person.
'The Nigerian Nightmare,' however, discussed in the post-fight interview, how Ngannou came to support him in the same manner that he travels to support 'The Predator.' He said:
"Francis, he came to a sporting event to support his brother. What's wrong with that? Everyone knows big Francis. Francis has a very special journey, a special life he that he has lived. And if anyone can't respect that, I feel sorry for you. But a self-made man, just like I am. So you just have to respect it."
Usman added:
"It was special for him to be here. Just like me going to support him, he supports me. Just like Justin [Gaethje] and all these guys. So I'm thankful. I've got a big beautiful support system, and I'm grateful for that.”
Check out Kamaru Usman's comments below: