When Kamaru Usman got 100% real about Khamzat Chimaev as a fighter: "Why did I doubt myself?"

Kamaru Usman gave credit to himself for the way he fought against Khamzat Chimaev. Usman further asserted that he would have prevailed if he had put in a little more effort against the undefeated contender.

For context, Usman replaced Paulo Costa on 10 days short-notice to face Chimaev in the co-main event of UFC 294 in 2023. 'Borz' known for his aggressiveness, tested Usman's takedown defense from the opening bell and became successful in bringing the fight to the ground.

However, as the bout progressed, the former welterweight champion bounced back and was successful in thwarting Chimaev's takedown attempts. Usman also appeared to be the better fighter in terms of striking, but that wasn't enough to prevent him from losing by majority decision.

In an episode of Pound 4 Pound podcast last year, Usman spoke to Chael Sonnen and expressed thoughts on his highly entertaining matchup with Chimaev, saying:

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''You get in those type of fights and those positions to where you build something up in your mind...Then you get in there and you go, 'That wasn't special.' There was nothing different that I haven't seen. Had I given it a little bit more, had I have given myself a little bit more credit, that would have turned out totally different."

Usman added by saying that he gained confidence later in the fight, but it was too late.

''He's a little bigger than I thought, but nothing special. He's on top and I'm like, 'These strikes don't really hurt. Nothing special.' Then I got up to my feet, and it was the first punch I hit him with, I'm like, 'Oh, OK. I can do this.' But it was after the end of the fight, it was just in my head saying, 'Why? Why did I doubt myself. Don't do that again.'"

Check out Kamaru Usman's comments below (9:49):

Belal Muhammad eyes Kamaru Usman as his return fight

Belal Muhammad lost his welterweight title to Jack Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 earlier this month.

In a recent episode Remember the Show podcast, Muhammad discussed a potential fight with Kamaru Usman, if Usman prevails over Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta on June 14.

''I'm gonna be the guy that gets the belt again. I'm one fight away from winning the belt...When I'm looking at the landscape of the division. . . If Kamaru wins [against Joaquin Buckley], I feel like it'll be Kamaru. . . For me, the dream month would be October. But not all the way in Abu Dhabi."

Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below (16:02):

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena