Kamaru Usman has been suffering from knee injuries for some time than most fans realized.
The “Nigerian nightmare” dominated the UFC Welterweight Division for years after Kamaru Usman Tyron Woodley defeated to take the belt home.
What followed was five impressive title defenses against names such as Colby Covington and Gilbert Burns before the reign of Usman was ended by a Leon Edwards Knockout.
This was their second fight, where the third came after years of Usman who struggled with knee injuries despite his impressive record in the Octagon.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Kamaru Usman had a decade of knee problems before Leon Edwards Trilogy defeat
Years before his UFC Comback against Buckley, Usman gave the enormous pain he had suffered on his knees.
Before his third and final fight against Leon Edwards on UFC 286, Usman revealed the extent of the damage he had caused through the years of struggle and fighting.
Speaking with the mirror, Usman said: “My knee pain has been bad for 10 years, I have had several meniscus operations, and this is just through struggling.
“I was struggling so hard for my body because I just wanted to be the champion, I wanted to get there.
“I was willing to sacrifice what was needed to get there, but my knee pain has been bad since I crossed to MMA. It didn't stop me.”
Usman suffered from Edwards due to a majority decision in their trilogy battle before he suffered a loss to Khamzat Chimaev later that year.
Joaquin Buckley claimed that Kamaru Usman has 'no knees' for their UFC Atlanta collision
Two years after that comment, Joaquin Buckley is more than ready to use Usman's knee problems in his favor at UFC Atlanta.
He spoke during the press conference for the fight on Usman and revealed his strategy to remove the former UFC champion Welterweight.
Buckley said: “Because he has no knees? Just good footwork, good footwork, you know, move around Kamaru Usman.
“At the end of the day there are many hunters in my division who don't know how to move. They are just standing straight for each other.
“That is why I believe that my style, that I am dynamic, is very unique, anyway? There is no one who fights like me.
“I see that the boys that Kamaru trains on, and none of them are moving anyway.
Buckley is confronted with Usman at UFC Atlanta in the main event of the show on 14 June.