"He made it pretty much race-related" - Kamaru Usman was angry going into first fight against Colby Covington, avoided wrestling to "satisfy" crowd
Kamaru Usman has something special that has allowed him to dominate the UFC welterweight division and climb to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. In an extensive new interview with I AM ATHLETE, he said it's his mentality that sets him apart from the pack.
During the 90-minute sit-down, Usman explained how fighting isn't about anger but control, and one of the few times he fought with rage was against Colby Covington at UFC 245. He said:
"Now in the other fight where I was angry is when I fought Covington for the first time. That was the MAGA dude that was running around, he made it pretty much race-related. And in that fight, it didn't matter where I went before the fight, I went to Saudi Arabia, Dominican Republic, they ain't even speak English, like 'You must kill this guy, you must,' everywhere!"
USMAN vs COVINGTON!!! #UFC245 is live TOMORROW at 10pm ET on @espn+ PPV https://t.co/wOFa5MqrCX
"So in that fight, I could have taken him down, I could have been tactical and got the win, but I knew nothing was going to satisfy the world unless we stood there and I really put hands on him. And that's what we did, we banged for four and a half rounds until I got him out of there."
Watch Kamaru Usman discuss emotion in fights below:
Kamaru Usman TKO'd Covington with just 50 seconds left in their fight, breaking his opponent's jaw as well. Not only did it solidify Usman's reign as welterweight champion, it gave fans a whole new appreciation for 'The Nigerian Nightmare' and his ability to sling leather on the feet.
Colby Covington beating up Kamaru Usman with an allegedly broken jaw https://t.co/iaTIqAyZLd
Watch Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards fight in December 2015
Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards are set to headline UFC 278 on August 20, which is a rematch of a fight from 2015 when both men were relative newcomers to the promotion.
Edwards was just 2-1 in the UFC and Usman was fresh off his TUF 21 victory with a 1-0 record. At the time no one knew these men would go on to become two of the most dominant forces in the UFC welterweight division.
Watch the full first fight between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards below:
Usman would go on to beat Edwards via the judges' decision, earning 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 scorecards. The two judges that handed Edwards a round both gave him the first, but in the second round onwards 'The Nigerian Nightmare' was able to overwhelm Edwards with his wrestling to control the fight.
Leon Edwards hasn't been beaten since and has a 9-0-1 record following the defeat to Usman. Usman comes into their rematch on a 13-fight win streak and is looking for a repeat of their first encounter.