Kamaru Usman gets 100% real on training with Justin Gaethje for Joaquin Buckley fight in "second Africa"

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman recently touched on training with Justin Gaethje for his upcoming fight. Usman is scheduled to face Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 14. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is coming off a three-fight skid and looks to redeem himself with a decisive victory.

In a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Usman expressed his excitement about fighting Buckley and shared his training regimen with Gaethje, stating:

"Fight camp is good. I've been training with Justin. We've been putting in a lot of work, and I like it. It's almost like, you gotta get beat up. You build a false sense of confidence when you're not pushed to the brink of you actually feeling what it's like to win and lose. I'm starting to get excited. June 14, Atlanta, that's like a second Africa right there."

Check out Kamaru Usman's comments below:

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Stephen Thompson predicts Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley

Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson recently weighed in on the upcoming Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley bout. In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, Thompson highlighted Buckley's impressive winning streak, which includes wins over 'Wonderboy' and Colby Covington.

Thompson also cited Buckley's unpredictability as a factor, which could help him beat Usman. He said:

"Buckely's been on a tear, man. The guy is hungry, he's got great wrestling, you saw what it did to Colby Covington. I think it's going to be a tough night for both. But, I think Kamaru Usman is going to do the same old jab, shoot for the leg, maybe a little bit of boxing. Buckley, you don't know what he's going to pull out of the hat."

Thompson added:

"The guy's evolving every time I see this guy fight, so that's what's going to make this fight so interesting for sure. I'm kind of leaning towards Buckley."

Check out Stephen Thompson's comments below (1:06):

About the author

Sunil holds a Bachelor of Science degree in visual communication. He started his professional career in 2023 and has previously worked with FirstSportz and Levitate Studios, among other organizations.

Sunil was drawn to MMA by Conor McGregor, especially the Irishman’s crossover boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2017. His favorite fighter is Jorge Masvidal for his wild and unorthodox approach.

Surprisingly, ‘The Notorious’ and ‘Gamebred’ do not find a place in his Mt. Rushmore, which includes Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, Alex Pereira, Daniel Cormier, and Khabib Nurmagomedov. He feels ONE Championship’s Rodtang Jitmuangnon has the ability to succeed in the UFC due to his power.

Sunil is of the opinion that the UFC is not doing enough to prevent eye pokes and does not mind soccer kicks in MMA.

In his free time, he likes to watch anime and films in general. He’s also a boxing historian, having gotten into the sport watching videos of fighters like Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran.

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Edited by Sunil Krishnan