Additional footage of the aftermath surrounding Kamaru Usman‘s knockout loss to Leon Edwards has been released to the public.
Just seconds away from a second win over Edwards, Usman got caught by a head kick that knocked him out unconscious in the fifth round at UFC 278. This was the first time that Usman had been knocked out during his illustrious career and his first defeat of any kind since a submission loss to Jose Caceres at CFA 11 in 2013.
The buildup to Usman’s fight against Edwards was well documented, including in the UFC 278 Embedded: Vlog Series produced by the UFC. Many have wondered how Usman immediately handled his first taste of defeat in the UFC Octagon after it happened.
Usman Remained Cool, Calm, & Collected Following Devastating KO Defeat
Watch below as Usman prepares for and reacts to his UFC 278 rematch against Edwards.
The footage, captured by the YouTube MMA documentary channel Anatomy of a Fighter, shows Usman acknowledging what made Edwards so dangerous in their UFC 278 showdown. The video ends with a final message from the now-former welterweight champion: “Good job, Rocky; I’ll see you soon.”
Usman also credited Edwards for his ability to reset at the beginning of each new round despite how the previous one had ended. The only fighter Usman could think of who displayed such internal resilience was 2018 opponent Emil Meek.
Usman is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time and still is despite the loss to Edwards. He won 19 straight fights entering UFC 278 and appeared on the cusp of potentially surpassing Anderson Silva’s seven-year UFC title reign.
Usman will likely run it back with Edwards in a trilogy fight next year. The UFC has teased plans to hold a pay-per-view card in the UK, with the English star Edwards and former champion Usman headlining.
Usman seems to feel the weight lifted off his shoulders that comes with being in the public eye and more specifically, being a UFC champion. He’ll look to get back on the winning track and potentially get revenge against Edwards in his return.
Do you think Kamaru Usman will bounce back following his KO loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278?