Kamaru Usman was confronted with a number of great rivals during his time as a Welterweight champion.
From Colby Covington to Jorge Masvidal, 'The Nigerian nightmare' always had a big name opponent to bump into while he was at the top.
The opponent who was the most difficult for Usman to prepare himself, however, was a competition he already knew incredibly well.
A series of impressive versions of Gilbert Burns saw him take off the 170 pound Ladder after he had moved from lightweight to the division.
The two training partners would eventually stand out as the two best in the world, which meant that they should put their friendship aside to chase their dreams.
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Kamaru Usman remembers that he had viewed the Countdown review for his fight with Gilbert Burns
Although Gilbert Burns tried to ask for a Welterweight title shot as polite as he could defeated Tyron Woodley, this still came as a big surprise for Kamaru Usman.
The two men are good friends again, but the build for their meeting at UFC 258 was an incredibly tense and emotional affair for the champion in particular.
Usman and Burns recently think about this experience after 'Durinho' appeared as a guest on the pound cast of Pound 4 Pound.
'The Nigerian nightmare' spoke about how he was the one who left the team to train elsewhere before that fight, he felt that people chose parties or spread rumors.
Kamaru Usman will defend his welterweight title against former teammate Gilbert Burns on UFC 258 on February 13, several sources told @bokamotoespn.
Contracts have not yet been signed, but both parties have been agreed with the five -round fight. pic.twitter.com/ivybledvgl
– ESPN MMA (@ESPNMMA) January 5, 2021
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Usman stated on the podcast that there was a moment in particular when he really came because of the relationship he had with the children of Burns.
“All these things were partying and then I see posts and then what really brought me over the edge was watching the countdown.
“He walked with Pedro and Josh, they might walk a small channel and they talk and he asked them, and I love Pedro. I used to like to play with Pedro when he was small and he says,” Who will be the new champion? ” And Pedro and Josh were like 'daddy'.
“Who is going to take this belt?”, “And they were:” Daddy, you're going to take the belt. ” It just hit me in my heart. I don't know why. ”
After he stated that it was the most emotional training camp that he experienced, Usman said that it gave him the feeling that he could not trust people with who he was once in the neighborhood.
“Like I said, athletes at the highest level, you will find small things to motivate you. I don't know why it caused me, but it touched me in a way I was, I love that little boy. I play with him all the time and all the time starts to get your paranoid.
Kamaru Usman left that emotion from him from the UFC 258
The Staredowns between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns before UFC 258 were incredibly intense.
Both men knew that the fight was not personal, but this did not matter in the heat of the moment when only one of them could leave with the Welterweight title.
Usman passed some adversity in the fight before Burns stopped in the third round to retain the 170 pound belt, so that his emotion had released immediately after he closed the show.
“As soon as the fight took place, it only got me at the end of the fight. I am animated and I am awake and I am and then, on the side of my eye, I see Gilbert below and then I see my coach, Trevor, saying:” Yes, fighting is over “.
“I see him and it touched me like,” Bro, that's my boy. That's my friend. ” I just crushed. “