That bit you may have heard about Kamaru Usman being injured with a pullout from UFC 294 imminent? The former champ has a particular opinion for that if you thought the information was credible.
“Oh my God. People believe anything you put on this internet. Anything – any f*cking thing.”
Ex-welterweight champion Usman (20-3 MMA, 15-2 UFC) stepped up on short notice to take on unbeaten rising star Khamzat Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in a middleweight fight in Saturday’s UFC 294 co-main event in Abu Dhabi. He has lost back-to-back fights to Leon Edwards. The first came in a shocking upset after he dominated the fight for roughly 24 minutes, then was knocked out with a Hail Mary head kick to lose the title. In their rematch, Edwards took a majority decision.
Now Usman will try his hand at middleweight, and with a stiff task in front of him. At Wednesday’s open workouts in Abu Dhabi, Usman was seen on video taking down teammate and training partner Justin Gaethje. He said something to Gaethje, Gaethje gave a brief concerned look, and the consensus was that Usman told Gaethje something popped in his knee.
Kamaru Usman tosses BMF champ Justin Gaethje around at #UFC294 open workouts 🤼 pic.twitter.com/m46R4eoWj2
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 18, 2023
Thursday, Usman posted on his YouTube channel to call people who bought into that narrative “dummies” and said he’s not injured.
“Guys, this is crazy – yesterday, seeing the tweet (about me being injured),” Usman said. “It just goes to show how crazy people just jump on news and media and, ‘Oh, that must be true. That person said that! That person said that!’ Whoever started it – whoever said they heard or saw: How could you have possibly heard what I said when it’s me and Justin, on a stage, in front of thousands of people in a mall? Were you next to us where you heard what I was saying?
“How stupid. Just dumb. If my knee was hurt, why would I get up and (continue) hitting mitts? Oh my God. People believe anything you put on this internet. Anything – any f*cking thing. Whoever that was, stop it. Stop with the clickbait. (I) did not say that. Clearly, I’m fine. Dummies: I’m fine.”
Chimaev is more than a 3-1 betting favorite at most online sportsbooks. Usman has been a betting underdog just one other time in his UFC career. Tyron Woodley was about a 2-1 favorite over Usman at UFC 235 in 2019, but Usman pulled the upset to win the welterweight title. He was favored in all six of his title fights after that against Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Burns and the most recent two losses to Edwards.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.
