Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was in good spirits and ‘not down at all’ two days removed from his UFC 278 knockout loss to Leon Edwards.
“I’m feeling great,” Usman told TMZ Sports. “I’m feeling good. I’m in good spirits. It was a fight. A fight’s a fight, and it happened.”
Usman was up on the scorecards headed into the final round with Edwards in Salt Lake City. He was in control of the fight when Edwards connected cleanly with a head kick that ended Usman’s title reign.
“It was a great shot. A great shot. I’m talking Hail Mary in the Super Bowl last ten seconds. That was a great shot,” Usman said.
Usman has watched the fight several times and doesn’t find it difficult to watch. He believes that’s harder for others than it is for him.
“You know how many people I’ve done that to? It’s not hard at all. It happened. That’ the beautiful thing about this sport is that happens and we forget what was actually taking place in that fight. I’m not down at all. Everyone is more sad about it than I am. Everyone is more emotional about it than I am.”
“It’s just an added bonus, an added hunger to return,” Usman said. “I’m just excited for what’s next. I have the rare opportunity now to just inspire, motivate and show people that you can fall and get back up.”
Jorge Masvidal makes bold prediction about UFC welterweight division
Had Usman defeated Edwards, he would have tied Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive wins inside the octagon with 16. He held the 170-pound championship since November 2019 and successfully defended it five times. He believes that an immediate rematch with Edwards is warranted.
“What else makes sense? Just look at the division. What else makes sense,” Usman said. “It’s absolutely what’s going to happen next. I’ve talked to Dana [White]. We’re going to see, I’m going to let him do his job, but we’re going to see what dates make sense. It’s going to be the top of next year.
“I was going to try to squeeze one (more) in this year, but it will probably be the top of next year, and I want to go to England. I’ve been feening to go to England. I feel like England is my second home. England is half Africa. People don’t know that, but it’s half Africa, so it’s time to go over there and entertain those people.”
Kamaru Usman: ‘I’m not down at all’
