Kamaru Usman plans quickfire UFC return following string of losses: ‘I’m falling in love with the sport again’
Former undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman has admitted he has once again fallen in love with the sport of mixed martial arts, off the back of consecutive title fight losses against three-time opponent, Leon Edwards.
Usman, who headlined UFC 286 last month in London, England – suffered a close, majority decision loss to the above-mentioned, Edwards in the pair’s championship trilogy rubber match, dropped from pound-for-pound number one rank in the UFC off the back of a thunderous KO loss to the Birmingham native back in August of last year.
Kamaru Usman confirms return may come in the next few months
Yet to book his Octagon return amid links to a fight with former welterweight title challenger, Stephen Thompson – who has since been booked to fight Michel Pereira at UFC 289, Usman admitted that his recent setbacks have reignited his love for the sport of mixed martial arts once again.
“It’s almost like people were more upset that I lost than I was,” Kamaru Usman said during a podcast appearance with Mike Tyson. “People were destroyed. I know that I’m the best welterweight, for sure, in the division, I know that. But I’m just in the place where I’m loving the sport again, falling love with the sport again. I’ve been training now and I just feel stronger. I’m doing certain things, and I’m liking that process again… When I look back on my journey to becoming champion… it was the journey.”
“I’m loving the process right now, and I’m loving falling in love with the sport again – to where, for me, I might just wanna pop out in the next couple months and beat somebody up again,” Kamaru Usman explained. “I’m really starting to feel that. But it’s on my own terms, now.” (Transcribed by MMA News)
Clinching the undisputed welterweight title back in March 2019 in a dominant, unanimous decision win over Tyron Woodley, Usman would go on to rack up consecutive successful title defenses over Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington – twice each, as well as former training partner, Gilbert Burns.
