"He's trying to spin it to this false narrative for himself" - Leon Edwards isn't buying into Kamaru Usman's 'humble act' after title loss
Leon Edwards isn't convinced that Kamaru Usman is being sincere with the way he's been carrying himself in the aftermath of their championship clash at UFC 278.
Usman has shown nothing but humility and grace following his devastating knockout loss. As far as Edwards is concerned, however, Usman's behavior is nothing more than an attempt to spin the narrative in his favor.
Asked how he felt about Usman's classy demeanor during an interview with Sky Sports, the reigning UFC welterweight champ said:
"I think he handled it the only way he could, right? You couldn't come out and talk crap about me. He had to handle it in a humble way, you know. And I think that's why he did it. I saw an interview on the Joe Rogan. [He said] he's happy that he lost the belt because the pressure of the belt is too much and all that. And I was like, 'I hope I never get to that point in my career when I'm happy to lose the world title.'"
'Rocky' added that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is making it seem like the loss wasn't a big deal. Leon Edwards continued:
"He's trying to spin it to this false narrative about himself. He wants to make it seem like it's not a big deal that I got knocked out on live TV for the world championship. For me that would've been a big deal, you know. So, to each their own, let him carry on and I'll focus on what I need to do in winning that rematch again."
Watch Leon Edwards react to Kamaru Usman's behavior:
Leon Edwards sets his terms for Kamaru Usman trilogy
Leon Edwards made it clear that he won't accept a trilogy bout against Kamaru Usman unless it takes place in the United Kingdom.
UFC president Dana White hasn't always been keen on the idea of staging UFC events in stadiums. However, White revealed that he sees a golden opportunity to conduct one in the U.K. now that Edwards is champion.
But for Edwards, fighting on his home turf is now a non-negotiable demand. During an interview with Troopz TV, the Birmingham native said:
"It’s in Wembley, bro. We’re going back to the sites. I’m not going over [to the U.S.] now. I did my job. I went to over to [Kamaru Usman’s] backyard and took it off him, so now he has to come to my backyard. I’m not going over there again. It’s on my terms now. He has to come over here."
Watch the full interview below: