Nigerian MMA star Kamaru Usman is ready to put Leon Edwards in his ‘right place’ as he aims to reclaim his welterweight title in the UFC 286 event on Saturday.
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ lost his welterweight belt to Edwards in a dramatic fashion last August. He was knocked out in the final round with a brutal head-kick despite dominating the fight.
The defeat was Usman’s first-ever loss in his UFC career and he has asserted, with confidence, his readiness to bounce back from the setback in London.
“There are minor adjustments I have to make,” Usman told Pivot Podcast. “But whenever you go into a fight, there’s a lot more going on than what the public can see. There’s a lot that I have to battle through just to make it to the fight. But that’s why I think I’ve been successful – because if I don’t put myself through the fire, then I don’t feel as confident knowing that I can deal with anything being thrown at me once it’s time for real.
“I’ve never been in this position, but I know that mentally, nothing has changed for me. This is the same guy that I beat up before. He’s still going to be the same guy. I have to remind him who he is right away. … When I fight guys, I fight their heart because I want to break their heart. I want to break their spirit and break their soul.
Saturday’s fight will take place in the sold-out O2 Arena and it will be the second-numbered UFC event in the English City of London.
