Video – Kamaru Usman admits pre-Fight nerves, worry to Jorge Masvidal: ‘Is he gonna baptize me?’

Kamaru Usman admits pre-fight worry to Jorge Masvidal I thought he was gonna baptize me

Former undisputed welterweight kingpin, Kamaru Usman has admitted to Jorge Masvidal that prior to their two-fight series, he was legitimately wary of suffering a hellish knockout loss – or as the latter put it, a “baptizm”. 

Usman, a former undisputed welterweight champion and prior pound-for-pound number one fighter under the banner of the UFC, has been sidelined since last October, succumbing to a third straight defeat in a controversial decision loss against the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev.

Jorge Masvidal and Kamaru Usman squash beef and show respect on podcast we had a past

However, twice sharing the Octagon with inaugural BMF title winner, Masvidal between 2020 and 2021, Usman twice defeated the Miami veteran – the second of which in a devastating second round one-punch KO victory in ‘The Sunshine State’. 

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Kamaru Usman admits to Jorge Masvidal he was worried to fight him

And in a recent sitdown podcast, Usman admitted to Masvidal that he most feared to share the Octagon with him during his tenure with the UFC – claiming he was worried about suffering a “baptizm” in the form of a brutal knockout loss.

Kamaru Usman welcomes middleweight run after UFC 294 I looked good at 185 pounds
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC

“I’m trying to picture all this, but I’m seeing this every day,” Kamaru Usman told Jorge Masvidal on the Pound-4-Pound podcast. “They’re [the media] asking me in every interview, how are you gonna deal with this? I’m watching your interviews and you’re saying, ‘I’m gonna baptize this guy.’”

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“I’m like, ‘Oh sh*t, is he gonna baptize me? What the f*ck is this?’” Kamaru Usman explained. I’m in a hotel, and I’m super nervous for this, especially that moment before you go to the arena for the fight, and I’m in a room just like, ‘Why the f*ck am i so nervous right now? Get it together.’” 

Diaz Masvidal Face off

As for former UFC star, Masvidal, the veteran striker is slated to make his return to combat sports next month in Las Vegas – taking on fellow promotional veteran, Nate Diaz in a professional boxing match, rematching following their 2019 mixed martial arts fight at Madison Square Garden.

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What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman’s talk with Jorge Masvidal?