Former UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman recently admitted how a wave of relief washed over him following his UFC 278 title loss to Leon Edwards last month in Salt Lake City, however, the newly-minted titleholder has his reservations regarding the sincerity of the Auchi native’s words, and happiness since losing gold.
Edwards, who headlined UFC 278 last month in Utah against two-time foe, Usman, managed to avenge a prior December 2015 unanimous decision loss to the defending welterweight champion with a rallying, fifth round knockout success – courtesy of a stunning left high kick.
In the time since, the Birmingham native has been linked with an immediate title trilogy rubber match against Usman in the U.K. next year – in what would come as a blockbuster homecoming for the new titleholder.
Speaking rather openly on his title loss and first career knockout defeat against Edwards last month, Usman revealed during numerous interviews how he was never really attached to the undisputed welterweight title, and claimed that a wave of relief washed over him following the upset loss.
Leon Edwards doubts Kamaru Usman’s sincerity amid his ongoing media tour following UFC 278
Sharing his thoughts on Usman’s recent comments amid his knockout loss, Edwards claims the Nigerian is “overdoing” his entire press tour post-UFC 278 – doubting the sincerity of the former’s apparent happiness and acceptance in defeat.
“It’s weird right?” Leon Edwards said during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani. “To go from this cocky guy to, ‘Oh, I’m happy I got knocked out, and it’s a relief’ – I just don’t believe it. For me, I’d hope I never get to a stage where a loss – you know, I’m happy for a loss. Yeah, it’s weird to handle it – it’s the only way he (Kamaru Usman) could. He couldn’t come out and be like, salty. I think he’s handling it the only way he can handle it. We’ll see, I don’t know.”
“I don’t watch much of him,” Leon Edwards explained. “I saw the Joe Rogan thing (podcast) yesterday, I think – I saw bits of it, not the full interview. It is weird the way he’s going along with it. I feel like he’s overdoing it. It is what it is. He was the champion – you thought you couldn’t be beat, you’ve been beat. That’s just the game. The game is the game, right? That’s the game.”
