Kamaru Usman Challenges Leon Edwards Ahead of UFC 286 Trilogy Match

Photo: Instagram/Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman, the former UFC welterweight champion, has responded to Leon Edwards ahead of their trilogy match by stating that he believes Edwards is forgetting about the previous 39 minutes of their in-cage encounters.

Usman acknowledged Edwards' head kick that knocked him out in the fifth round of their last fight, but questioned what else Edwards had shown him in the two previous fights that would suggest he is a better fighter.

The 35-year-old Usman also admitted that he became complacent towards the latter stages of his undefeated 15-0 start to his UFC career, but said that he was feeling a renewed sense of motivation for this fight.

Photo: Instagram/Kamaru Usman 

Usman is looking to recapture the welterweight title on Saturday when he faces Edwards in the main event of UFC 286 at London's O2 Arena.

Despite his most recent loss, Usman is still the betting favourite to reclaim his belt at UFC 286.

Usman alluded to an old maxim of not fixing what isn't broken when asked for the big adjustments he has made to counter the challenge Edwards presents.

Usman said that he felt violent going into three fights, including his fight with Jorge Masvidal, which took place in enemy territory in Jacksonville, where he was booed.

He vowed to have a renewed sense of motivation that he had only felt a few times in his career, all of which led to explosive results.

Usman fought Colby Covington twice and Edwards twice, and asked the media who they thought was the better fighter.

Usman believes that he is on his way out of the sport and that he doesn't want to get punched in the face forever.

However, he is not planning on leaving until he is good, well and ready.

Usman said that Edwards' boasts ahead of the fight, like vowing to "open the door" for Usman's retirement, made him wonder if "Rocky" is overlooking the realities of how those other 39 in-cage minutes went that they shared.

He believes that Edwards is building himself up with new confidence, but in the end, it will just be the two of them locked in the cage, and Edwards hasn't shown anything to suggest he is the better fighter.

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Source: SB Nation 

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