Coming off his victory by decision over Norwegian Emil Meek at UFC Fight Night 124, KweséESPN sat down with Nigerian welterweight fighter Kamaru Usman to discuss his post-fight comments, using wrestling in an MMA fight, and who he would prefer to fight next.
KweséESPN: Right after your victory against Emil Meek, you made a comment about fighting at 30%. Explain what you meant by that?
Kamaru Usman: Going into that fight there was a lot of emotion because the guy made a lot of comments and he talked all the talk that he wanted to talk.
I had some injuries going into the fight, which a lesser guy would've pulled out of, but I didn't want to pull out because I understand that he worked hard to train for that fight. I've been training for a while too and I didn't want to rob him of the opportunity of that. I knew I was about 30%.
I went into the fight and I dominated him. But after the fight and with all the talk, the emotions that I had, I was emotional during that speech at the end. Obviously my articulation wasn't the best.
So people thought that I was saying that I only gave 30% effort as opposed to coming in at 30% health. I always give maximum effort. I went in with 30% health and I still got the job done.
KweséESPN: UFC president Dana White had some critical remarks about your performance and your statement. Did his remarks affect you?
Kamaru Usman: It always sucks to hear that, especially from a guy like that, because a lot of fans listen to him so whatever he says kind of sways the fans whichever way. It hurt and upset me a little bit but at the end of the day I realize obviously he was thinking like the fans and was confused by the post fight speech which is why he made the comment that he did.
KweséESPN: Did your game plan or strategy for the fight change due to injury or even during the actual fight?
Kamaru Usman: I'm the best, well-rounded fighter in that welterweight division. I can do anything and everything better than everybody in that division. In that fight I could've done whatever I wanted to do had I been healthy. I had no left leg and no left hand so basically I was stuck to one side of my body which is why I fought the whole time in the southpaw position.
Obviously the takedowns are going to be easy with anybody that I fight. The takedown is going to come easy but I wanted to stand. I really wanted to knock him out just to prove a point but dealing with one hand and a tough guy like that I had to use the tools that I had to win the fight.
KweséESPN: Do you think there is a lack of appreciation for wrestlers and wrestling by UFC fans?
Kamaru Usman: Yeah absolutely, because those fans are not wrestlers. They don't understand real wrestling. The wrestling they understand is entertainment. The hitting each other with chairs and jumping off the ropes... that's the wrestling that they understand.
Fans really don't appreciate because a lot of these fans are casual fans. They just want to see a brawl. They want to see two guys in a bar fight swinging crazy, trying to knock each other out, that's what they want to see. Unfortunately this is not that. This is mixed martial arts and we have to go out there and mix it up as best as we can and at the end of the day this is a competition. I'm trying to win.
KweséESPN: You called out current UFC #3 ranked welterweight Colby Covington after your last win. If you can't get Colby, who would you prefer the UFC, Dana, Sean Shelby (UFC fight maker) match you up with for your next fight?
Kamaru Usman: If I can't get Colby it's gotta be Demian (Maia) or Neil (Magny) because those are the only real names in the division that spark or ring a bell. Obviously Darren Till but that's not going to happen because Dana's got some plans for him. I understand business-wise... I know how it works. Demian Maia or Neil Magny are the next guys on that list.
KweséESPN: When would you prefer to get back into the Octagon for your next fight?
Kamaru Usman: I want to let these injuries heal up but i should be back in there by summer. May, I would say.
KweséESPN: In terms of your development in the sport, what's next for you? What are you trying to improve on?
Kamaru Usman: I need to continue to grow. This is a sport that's changing each and every day so I need to continue to change with the times and grow. Obviously I need to continue to work on my striking to make sure it's better than ever. I need to continue to work on my wrestling.
Even though I'm dominant and better than everybody I need to make sure it stays that way. I need to continue to work on my ground game to make sure I can finish guys with the jiu jitsu whenever I want.