"1% better than yesterday" - Kamaru Usman posts encouraging training photos as he approaches UFC return
Kamaru Usman has been out of action for the past few months owing to a hand injury. He underwent surgery for the same earlier this year. On that note, Usman has now taken to Instagram to unravel a few encouraging photographs ahead of his comeback.
The photos suggest that Usman engaged in a training session at ONX Sports under the watchful eyes of his coach Trevor Wittman. The UFC’s No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter and reigning UFC welterweight champion attached the following statement alongside the photos in his Instagram post:
“1% better than yesterday”
Check out the Instagram post below:
Usman’s most recent fight was a unanimous decision win in his rematch against Colby Covington at UFC 268 in November 2021. The consensus is that Usman’s next UFC welterweight title defense will be a rematch against Leon Edwards.
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ had beaten Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC on Fox: Dos Anjos vs. 'Cowboy' 2 in December 2015. In the following years, Usman went on to capture the UFC welterweight belt, whereas 'Rocky' too solidified himself as one of the truly elite fighters in the division.
Although Usman’s exact comeback date remains unclear, it’s been speculated that their rematch could take place at UFC 276 on July 2nd.
Kamaru Usman had surgery to repair a ligament in his hand, his manager Ali Abdelaziz told @marc_raimondi.
Abdelaziz said Usman is targeting a return for International Fight Week at UFC 276 in T-Mobile Arena on July 2. https://t.co/MQqd9srmJf
Josh Thomson on Conor McGregor potentially leapfrogging Leon Edwards to a fight against Kamaru Usman
Former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor has recently been lobbying for a fight against Kamaru Usman. McGregor last fought in July 2021 and suffered a first-round TKO loss against Dustin Poirier in their lightweight bout. The fight ended due to the Irishman suffering a gruesome leg injury.
‘The Notorious’ has been out of action ever since. Regardless, the MMA megastar has vowed to return this summer and become the first three-division UFC champion by beating Kamaru Usman to win the welterweight belt.
Addressing the same, former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson revealed that the UFC should stick to their promise of giving Edwards the next title shot against Usman.
In a recent appearance on The Weighing In Podcast, Thomson said:
"I understand it's Conor, I understand all the hype around Conor. I understand he brings all the hype, I understand all those things. But you're really putting a damp on the sport, you're really giving it a black eye, when you slide somebody in who's coming off as many losses."
He highlighted that McGregor made a few rather derogatory comments regarding his former opponent Dustin Poirier’s wife after their fight. Thomson suggested that considering these comments, the manner in which McGregor lost and his current two-fight losing streak, he most definitely shouldn’t be allowed to walk into a UFC title fight right away.
Watch Thomson give his take below: