Kamaru Usman explains why returning before full recovery could do "irreparable damage" to his hand

Kamaru Usman was expecting the go-ahead for full training on his last visit to the doctor. However, he was told that it might take a while to recover fully since the problem pertains to the tendon in his right hand.

Usman also believes there is a fair chance of his wound splitting open if not completely healed as it is right on the knuckle. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is unwilling to rush his return to the octagon as it could potentially end up causing irreparable damage to his hand. The UFC welterweight king recently told John Morgan of The Underground:

"The issue with tendons is, there's no blood flow there especially when they are in your hands. And so it takes a lot longer and not just that way, it's right on top of my knuckle, it's right on that moneymaker right there. So these are the ones that I'm gonna be able to make contact with very very quick. And if I don't give it the appropriate time to heal properly, then I'm just gonna split that right back open and I'm out for the whole year. Potentially worse, do irreparable damage to my hand to where I couldn't potentially fight again. So, that's not a chance I'm willing to take right now."

'The Nigerian Nightmare' was initially set to return for his next title defense against Leon Edwards in July, and rumors delayed it to August. However, Usman's manager Ali Abdelaziz recently revealed that there is no potential timeline for the welterweight champ's return as of now.

Watch Usman's interview with The Underground below:

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Kamaru Usman sees just another competitor in Khamzat Chimaev

Kamaru Usman has reigned supreme atop the UFC's welterweight division since dethroning Tyron Woodley in 2019. However, the meteoric rise of Khamzat Chimaev has led many to believe that Usman may have finally found his match in the Chechen-born Swede contender.

But to Usman, 'Borz' is just another faceless opponent. While he appreciates the payday against big opponents, the welterweight king isn't adding to Chimaev's hype. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' said during an appearance at UFC 274:

“He’s a competitor. Each and every one of these guys in the division is a competitor. So I take them as competitors, I take them that serious. But as far as putting anything extra on anybody just to try to give them a boost, I don’t really care about that. Gilbert Burns was just as tough of a fighter as Colby Covington, just as tough as Jorge Masvidal. I don’t really try to put anything extra on these guys. Of course, I love the extra zeros on the check if they bring that much eyeballs, but at the end of the day, they’re just competitors and I see no face.”

Watch Kamaru Usman's appearance at the UFC 274 post-fight scrum below: