Kamaru Usman shared his thoughts following his closely contested loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. In a backstage interview, “The Nigerian Nightmare” discussed the doubts he’s been experiencing after his defeat to “Borz.”
Usman stepped in on short notice, with only 10 days to prepare for the co-main event of UFC 294. There were comments from the MMA community suggesting that Chimaev would dominate Usman, which may have contributed to Usman’s doubts.
Kamaru Usman talks on loss to Khamzat Chimaev
In the post-fight interview given to ESPN MMA’s Megan Olivi, Usman talked about his feelings. In the interview, Usman was visibly bummed out. However, he gave props to his opponent and also about what he did wrong.
For the fight, Usman’s best strategy was to remain upright. However, Chimaev managed a takedown by the end of the first round. Demonstrating his resilience, Usman impressively rallied in the second round and also in the third round. This short notice didn’t deter a fighter of his caliber. The decision to award Chimaev the victory, however, caught Usman off-guard.
Usman in the interview explained that Chimeav used his time off the octagon to build his physique to that of the middleweight whereas he could not. Moreover, he also said that he should have taken a 5-round fight instead of a 3-round fight. He was of the opinion that a longer fight would have ensured his victory.
As far as the future is concerned, Usman entertained the idea of fighting Dricus Du Plessis in the co-main event of Sean Strickland vs Khamzat Chimaev. Dana White has plans for Chimaev fighting Strickland, however, no official announcement of the venue or date has been made.
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman
At UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman experienced his third consecutive UFC loss, this time to the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev boosted his flawless record to 13-0, emerging victorious over the Nigerian through a majority decision.
The backdrop to the co-main event of UFC 294 was Usman’s faltering career trajectory, marked by two losses to Leon Edwards after five successful welterweight title defenses. Chimaev’s original opponent was to be Paulo Costa, but an elbow injury led to Costa’s withdrawal. Usman took the challenge on a mere 10 days’ notice, even having to put on weight quickly.
Given Usman’s noteworthy performance, he’s now in prime position to call his shot. Dana White confirmed on The Pat McAfee Show, stating the fighters’ short-notice commitment ensured the winner a future title shot. Usman has already called for another number-one contender spot against Dricus Du Plessis.
The middleweight landscape has undergone recent changes, especially after Israel Adesanya’s surprising defeat to Sean Strickland. Despite Adesanya’s previous dominance, the dynamics have now changed. With this backdrop, Strickland faces a looming challenge in the form of Chimaev. Moreover, the winner could face the winner of the proposed Usman vs Du Plessis matchup.
With Usman losing at UFC 294, who should he face to enhance his title aspirations? Comment below.
