Kamaru Usman speaks with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto about his UFC 286 title fight loss to Leon Edwards and why a bout vs.
what’s up guys Brett okamoto from ESPN joined by UFC welterweight kamaro Usman who is uh about six seven weeks removed from the fight with Leon Edwards in London big fight of course Trilogy fight title fight you went in as a challenger which is a little bit different for you Kamara you went into enemy territory um and like I said you’ve had some time to reflect on it what have you been up to over the last six seven weeks and and uh sort of where are you at in terms of processing uh that night in London I’m good I’m in a good place I think um I think I processed it rather fast because I I knew where I was at going into that that competition and um I knew yeah I knew where I was at going in and when I walked out of there I knew where I was at so um I’m gonna I’m in a great place I’m I’m training you know staying in shape um I don’t like the late the layoffs I don’t like those layoffs because it’s now I have to worry about this injury and that injury or this and that and then that layoff kind of the layoff make it a bit harder to get into a fight and so I’ve been working enjoying my daughter enjoying being at home you know as much time as I can be at home so it’s been great when you say uh I I processed it pretty quickly because I knew where I was at going into that fight where where were you at going into that fight um I mean I I I’ve never been that type of fighter to you know okay this was happening that was happening that was happening I had so many different things but you know physically it was rough mentally it was rough but um all in all I mean just assessing the fight because I’ve seen many things many people saying oh no that was a draw no that was a close fight I think you won I think you you know at the end of the day now I walked out and I I was content with with it because yeah we were in London and yeah it went to the judge’s decision but if you’re judged and you’ve seen Kamara Usman fight plenty of plenty of times does a Kamara Usman fight look like that fight so now it’s one-sided there’s no question there’s nothing like that so when the Kamara Usman fight looks like that oh that other guy must have done what he need to do so you know I take nothing away from him I I was just I was content with it you know I I because like I said I knew what I was dealing with mentally and physically going in which I’m no longer in that place right now I’m I’m good I’m I’m happy you know I mean obviously you know having the title making more money and make you happier but I’m happy I’m good content um on the physical side I’m gonna just addressed that right off the bat because Francis and ganu and his in his uh you know your good friend of yours um in his reaction video you know he mentioned like hey I knew what was going on physically with Camaro and he couldn’t train properly for this fight um could you could you shine any light on on that like is it I mean what’s what’s never going like wrong with me I’ve I’ve been in the UFC now since 2015 I believe so I came into the UFC with physical injuries and things like that you know actually that tough finale that I actually won I was a three months removed from a surgery that needed eight months to recover and I still fought and so I’ve always dealt with things you know it’s no excuse for me because once I step in there you know I’ve always said it my job is to go in there and dominate and I don’t feel like I did that that night you know of course I do I think I’m capable 100 do I think I’m the best in the division absolutely but you know that night I didn’t go out and I I didn’t show that so you know it is what it is I’m removed from it I’m I’m in the gym I’m working and I am happy to show what’s what’s still in here what’s still burning in here I’m happy to show that why do you think that people are doubting that now or like like well of course people have doubted it 100 people are doubting it but I’m not I’m not so much worried about that I’m not I’m not happy because of that since I’m happy because it’s just me because now I look back I remember when I was just here to 2012 I didn’t really know how to strike or do anything like that being with Rashad living with Rashad Evans and and thinking I would get to a certain point in this sport one day and so now looking back on all that and that whole journey it’s like man okay I’ve learned so much and I know how to deal with all of these things so just reflecting on that just makes me feel so good when I go in the gym it just makes me feel reinvigorated when I’m in there yeah be curious maybe I’ll do this man maybe like I’ll pull people who have held a UFC champion at some point and be like what’s more fun working to win a UFC Championship or holding and defending the UFC Championship because it seems like the first one right absolutely that because once you get there you realize that the journey really was the great part of it you know those bad days that you had and you felt like you weren’t good enough but then you still prevailed you pushed through and you got there and so when you’re there of course it’s fun you have fun but it’s almost kind of like surface fun you know it’s not as meaningful because the journey is what’s meaningful because it happened it’s already happened you know so um I um yeah it’s I would like to see that Poll for sure do you feel like uh whatever was going on with you physically and mentally like were you capable of dominating that night and you just came up short or like do you think in that state that you were in when you went to London that it was never in the cards that you were going to dominate that’s right I’m always capable of dominating that’s just you know I’m always capable of dominating but then it comes down to mentally are you are you gonna dominate this fight and so it’s you know one of those things like I fought Tyron Woodley Tyler Woodley you know I thought it was a great Champion you know very very tough explosive fighter but I fought him with a half torn adductor you know and in the third round it completely went but I had I was dealing with that going into that fight and I still mentally I was gonna dominate him and I did that and so you know it was a little different this fight but you know like I said I processed it immediately right when I walked out I went back in the locker room and I talked to my coaches and I let them know yeah what was going on did what did all this other stuff that was going on in like that you weren’t 100 I guess yeah I mean I’m never 100 but they they played a factor those things played a factor to where I didn’t realize it until right after I left I was like yeah okay but we gotta you know that they said one of those things you get knocked off the horse you just gotta you know you could either stay there and I got knocked off or you can get up and and work and get back on did you feel that at all during the fight or did you feel like like uh like I had moments and you know it’s that’s that’s what’s rare because you don’t see that from me I’m just go go go you know and I had moments in the fight to where it’s like oh it’s like okay you know but you know I know I hear a lot of things a lot of people say oh maybe you came back too soon and a lot of people say oh maybe you didn’t even give yourself enough time you know no one could no one can tell me how much time I needed or this and that I needed to find out for myself and you know it’s over and done with Now we move on why do you think uh as Bruce was calling out your name you went across the octagon and that’s when he did the the thing to you why do you think you do that why why do I think he did that why did you do that because that’s not right for you to walk over and get in someone’s face like as Bruce is calling your name I do I do I do it uh with certain certain guys you know actually I’ve done it I’ve done it most fights have you really yeah I guess maybe I don’t maybe sometimes I don’t get yeah sometimes I don’t get as close but I do I’ve done it you know but it’s you know it’s just um when we get in there it’s now you’re you’re locked in here with me you know so I I go in and I let them know I just right off the bat and my presence fell [Music] do you have any feelings towards uh he got Dr point in the third round I think this is like this is going to be me being like a nerdy MMA guy here like he grabbed the fence you didn’t get the position of pulling him down but you got a point like I just wonder in a fight like that Elite level fight I’m honestly just genuinely curious about like would you rather have him down on the ground or would you does the point make you make you feel like okay you know he was Doctor Point like that’s that suffices like like in a tough fight where like you know little things can can dictate you know how the fight goes like how did you feel about him it’s pretty I mean it was pretty blatant he grabbed the fence stopped the takedown how did you feel about that in the third round yeah I mean those are that’s for the analytics you know like you guys analyze it and that’s you got what you guys do for me I I don’t really care because I need I can put him down when I want you know so I should have done it again anyways over and over and over you know so it doesn’t it doesn’t really matter I never really placed importance in that and you know for me mentally I never leave I never care about the referee in the fight I don’t care about the referee because I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do and there’s no question and you know that night it just kind of came up a little short so yeah I never really worry about the referee whether it’s you know he got the point you know you could say yes I would like him down but I don’t care I could put him down whenever I want and I didn’t do that yeah yeah when you re-watch the fight and you also obviously know what was going on with you mentally and physically when you watch it like when will you like how and when and how will you determine like uh like we just saw Jorge mesmerald you know say that like hey physically I still feel here but maybe just like my reaction like I see the punch and it used to be like I could just go like this and like it was almost an instinct you know once they described it where he’s like oh I just I move it and now I see the punch coming and I think I’m gonna move but then it hits me you know like I guess how you uh how how will you be honest with yourself and when you’re watching this stuff of just like no I mean that that that extra gear that physicality that I had that made me dominant is no longer there and so I’m still really really good right but I don’t have that like key gear of dominance like I guess how do you feel about that at age 35 like you said you’ve dealt with injuries like how what is it what is that topic like in your head yeah that’s one of the most important things where I’ve I came into the sport and and I always wanted to be honest with myself I say it all the time I am honest with myself and that was a big thing with my my coach as well George Santiago and George is one of the the biggest you know uh mentors in that aspect to where George was like I knew when I didn’t have it anymore I was like yo this I’m out and so the same thing with me is I’m honest with myself to where I’ve always been known dang my boxing sucks I got boxed up today so I got to get some I need to get some extra work on that or dang my my grappling was trash today I need to get more work on that I’ve always been that and I still got that gear because I know when a punch comes or if a punch touches me I know how I think how I feel how I react mentally so when that’s not there anymore yeah I it’s my time for me to to walk away you said immediately man you you uh you gave Leon props you know and then you’re like I’ll see him again I mean you said that instantly now why did why was that important do you think that you put that out there like so fast well it’s it’s not you know I mean I I still felt like there wasn’t finality to the fight you know I’m I mean the rest of the world kind of still feels like that but you know uh props to him you know right now he has that belt and um you know we have to respect that but I need finality my thing is you know I need finality I need you to show me you are better than me from start to finish you know and um maybe it’s just me selfishly but I need to feel that if you can’t show me that you’re not better than me you know I I just I just can’t accept that but um no no props to him uh I think he’s he’s you know of course he did what he needed to do to get the win and he did so he’s the champion right now and I respect that but I I know where I’m at I know the level at which I still function and where I can I’m still growing in the sport as crazy as it is to say I’m still growing in the sport so you know I’m excited to see what’s next and what were you picking up from him like a guy you’re very familiar with now obviously from a competitive standpoint like what kind of vibe were you picking up from him his confidence level his his momentum as the fight was going on like what did you what did you see from um I still I I know the Leon Edwards I like I said for me I fight these guys hard so I I know Leon’s heart in there but what I I do notice is is his confidence level of course went through the roof you know you’re fighting at home and um I know he doesn’t he doesn’t care about the four and a half minutes or that 24 minutes that was happening before that you know had kick landed does it matter that kick landed so you know he got a lot of confidence from that and I saw it and he displayed it and uh I think he really handled um because I mean as Fighters we’re all going to be scared on the inside and there’s a lot of pressure but I think he handled the pressure really well of being at home and and having to fight someone like myself at home and having to prove his legitimacy as a champion I think he handled that very very well so I’d say yeah I felt his confidence level grow big time so you uh you’re a very intelligent guy man and you you you do an analyst work you know for ESPN what needs to happen in order for Kamara Usman and Leon Edwards to fight a fourth time um I think Leon needs to definitely keep defending that Bell and you know myself I think I mean I’m number one in the in the world in that Division I think it’s you know who’s number two number two is to be Colby probably so so Kobe yeah Kobe’s too so they’re they’re gonna fight and three is Hamza yeah so I think uh you know a fight with myself and Hamza boom and if he keeps winning I think that that’s that’s a fourth fight for sure I like that a lot man I like that a lot thinking about that uh recently you know I mean it’s for me now I’m just kind of in a place to where it’s like I’m having fun with it I’m having fun so it’s like what’s the biggest funnest most in you know intense fight that really makes me feel that yeah and you know there’s there’s a couple fight that’s the fight right there yeah potentially you know potentially does because of fights a fight he’s a fighter hamza’s a fighter and I’m a fighter at the end of the day you can’t run away from like I said I fight these guys hard not to wait you know I I’ve been able to deal with middleweights in the gym and sometimes like heavyweights in a gym so you know for me it’s not necessarily the way but you know if he wants a shot at that welterweight strap you kind of have to you know give a little bit and show that hey I can get down here so you know if he’s able to do it yeah potentially and if it’s a better way yeah potentially as well so interesting man because when you were holding the title you were kind of like you weren’t like saying that it wouldn’t happen but you’re like hey he needs to earn in you know it wasn’t like a fight that you were necessarily like so welcoming you weren’t like dismissive of it but you weren’t super welcoming to it and now so to hear you say like express interest in it is just uh I understand the difference of course but it’s like it’s kind of it’s just interesting you know because I’ve I you and I talked about hanza before it’s just like this is a different this is a different uh yeah see that the thing is you know at the end of the day I’m you know I’m at the top of the division like all roles lead through me and when you’re the champion you’re kind of you know you’re almost kind of I don’t want to say stuck because you work to get to be Championship To Be A Champion but it’s you know you don’t really have much leeway yeah in in picking except if you’re Conor but you don’t really have much leeway in in picking what you want to do you’re the champion you have to defend against the next guy and so it didn’t make sense the diet fought one or two guys in the division that weren’t even ranked until he fought Birds you know so it didn’t make sense to just it’s a rocky story I just pick a guy off okay yeah you get a title shot next you know it didn’t make sense and I was limited on what I could do but now I’m not living it know what I can do now I can welcome any fight that fight any other fight that I you know want and how many of those are there how many fights do you think are out there right now that you really want that would get you excited to to really want to get back in there there’s not a ton I’m being honest with you there’s not a ton in the division it’s really not I think um that that fight obviously I think it’s the number one fight the biggest one out there that makes sense I mean that’s a that’s a pay-per-view itself you know um that that makes sense um I’d say uh Wonder Boy Wonder Boys like the last Wonder Boys the last guy that from my error or you know that’s that I haven’t fought I haven’t fought um we were kind of just on this collision course but just kind of kept missing each other and yeah that I would say him that’s a that’s a it’s an intriguing fight I mean it’s a crazy style to deal with you know I would like to deal with that before I’m done you know but you know that’s a that’s a good one and you know it’s a crazy one but Conor always wanted he said he wanted a third title didn’t he and you know the thing is when I was Champion you can’t just Waltz up skip everybody and fight for the Bell you know you gotta at least show some legitimacy and what’s a better legitimacy than the number one guy in the division yeah yeah long time reigning Defender uh Champion it makes sense yeah yeah is there like a time frame that it needs to happen by like obviously you’re putting out some very fun options but if it’s like hey like July’s coming around okay August is coming around like do you do you start to just kind of broaden that and say like oh no I just want to fight or do you think you will kind of be picky here I can be picky but I would say um after July I’m pretty I’m pretty I’m in pretty good shape I mean I can fight relatively quickly if I wanted to but why rush it I’m still learning you know working on sharpening new tools so you know I’m liking that right now so you know there’s no real time frame but I could fight relatively quickly yeah two more things I want to ask you about um and then I’ll let you go man thank you so much for the time appreciate it uh Leon Colby what do you think what do you think happens in that fight if that is the next title fight totriguing it’s very intriguing I think uh like I said Leon is is confidence is starting to just you know increase and increase and increase and if he truly really believe confidence is a hell of a drug if he truly believes in himself going into that fight I think he has a really really good shot um but Kobe does what he does very well very well uh somehow he his style is this affected it’s effective and depends on where that that takes place and when I think that you know it’s I’m 50 50 to be honest I’m 50 I I would just want to see a an amazing fight at this point you know I’m getting back to being a fan of the sport again so I would just want to see an amazing fight and that is a perfect segue into my last question and that is how was it watching Israel out of Sonya do what he did in Miami and then obviously there were videos of you guys celebrating that um I mean dude that was that’s the kind of moment in this Sports history that like I’ll remember you know forever like like just what was at stake and the way and he did it and then obviously a celebration and then you being like a guy who has been at the top is at the top of a sport so you can relate to it and the fact you guys are friends like what was that whole night like for you God damn it blacked out Ryan when he he lands the punch I I hopped out of my seat so high like I had to grab the railing because I was like light hit because I I was blacked out it was uh I mean it’s just one of those things that just kind of sends that shock to your body and I just remember being so motivated by the end of that night you know I was just like okay I really didn’t care about my belt but let me go get it back uh you know well I just it was incredible incredible watching him um it’s always fun to watch him and it’s just a weird it’s a weird attachment when like him being Nigerian me being Nigerian and us being for just close in that sense it’s just an attachment that is just I can’t explain you know I can’t fight it I can’t defend I it just doesn’t I would always root for him in that sense you know in any way so it’s just one of those things that is just motivated me so much and the joy that I got watching him being able to redeem himself because I I was a tough one you know these battle in the world you know you’ve lost to this guy three times you know and stopped twice that was a big one to overcome and and he did it man he just showed the giant that he is yeah like any insight you can give me into like um like what do you two talk about like that night like is there any like like kind of like fun piece of like nugget of a conversation because [Laughter] a night like that there needs to be no conversation it’s celebrating let’s go let’s go celebrate you got one you know you went out there and you got it back and you got one so let’s there’s no talking let’s just go celebrate and we did that well man again really really appreciate the time I’ve been looking forward and asking you and bugging you to talk you know since London so thanks for sitting down and doing it with me and uh I mean that harms that fight dude that would that would get me excited and who wouldn’t want to see that who wouldn’t that’s it’s pay-per-view in itself you know but excited to see whatever your next move is man and I’m sure we’ll uh we’ll see in Vegas soon my man appreciate that thank you for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming Sports and premium content subscribe to ESPN Plus