"You're gonna have to answer for everything that you say" - Kamaru Usman dons 'judge, jury, executioner' role in light of recent 'disrespect' from Leon Edwards
Kamaru Usman hasn't had much to say about Leon Edwards heading into their UFC 278 welterweight title fight. Instead, he plans on punishing his opponent in the octagon for his pre-fight disrespect.
Edwards has been vocally dismissive of Usman's career accomplishments during multiple fight week interviews, saying he doesn't understand why 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is being discussed as a pound-for-pound great. When asked during the UFC 278 Weigh-In Show about those comments, Usman replied:
"I've said it all through my career, and some of these guys don't seem to be hearing me when I say anything they say can and will be used against them inside that octagon because I am the judge, jury, and the executioner in there. So when these guys start to get slick mouthed and they want to say something disrespectful, anything like that? All right. At some point we're going to be locked in there together and you're gonna have to answer for everything that you said."
Watch Kamaru Usman discuss payback against Leon Edwards below:
Leon Edwards responds to claims that Kamaru Usman is a pound-for-pound great
Kamaru Usman is coming into UFC 278 on an astounding 19-fight win streak, 15 of those being in the UFC. He's defended his UFC welterweight title five times against tough opposition, and many consider him to be the greatest 170-pound fighter in the history of the UFC. Not Leon Edwards, though.
During a UFC 278 media day interview, Edwards said:
“All this pound-for-pound talk, I don’t see it. I don’t see it in his fights, I don’t see it in his techniques. He’s a very good fighter, he has improved. I’m not going to into this flight blind thinking he’s another wrestler, but I just don’t see it.”
In the latest episode of the Fighter vs. Writer podcast, Leon addressed Dana White's comments that Kamaru Usman is the greatest welterweight of all time, above even Georges St-Pierre. Edwards said:
"As far as skillset goes, if it’s skill for skill, I’d probably go with Georges ... When I do go out there and beat him, you’ve got to put me up in the pound-for-pound [rankings] if that’s the case. If you consider him the pound-for-pound [best] and I go out there and starch him, I feel I’ll be up there as well.”
Leon Edwards has an impressive record as well with a nine-fight win streak. While he doesn't get the respect he deserves because he's not a particularly flashy fighter, he may be one of the toughest challengers Kamaru Usman will face.
Leon Edwards throwing vicious elbows https://t.co/ByfeXu6YqL
If 'The Nigerian Nightmare' beats 'Rocky' in impressive fashion, it will be hard for anyone to keep denying he's one of the greatest of all time.