I went through pain alone – MMA champion, Usman

Kamaru Usman is one of the most successful welterweight champions in UFC history, having defeated nearly every top contender in his division multiple times. Since joining the UFC, Usman has remained undefeated. The fighter is also ranked No.1 in the promotion’s pound-for-pound rankings.

Holding such high honors necessitates the champion being self-assured and less distracted by the various conversations going on around him. When asked how he maintains his confidence and ability to deal with distractions, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole.

“There’s a lot of distractions… a lot of things that happen that does of course eventually, that does plague me a little bit. That does get in my mind… You know, it bothers me a little bit but I got, you know, this is life… you continue to grow and grow and grow.”

Usman then went on to share the difficulties he faced as a young teen.

“And for me, I think one of the biggest things that keeps me who I am is that no one was with me when I was in high school, when I was 14 years old and I had to make weight and I would put trash bags on and just go run… You know, no one was with me then… you know, I went through each and every one of those process. I know that in my head I went through that pain alone.”

Usman is set to defend his title for the sixth consecutive time against Leon Edwards at UFC 278. The event is set to take place on August 20 at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.