Kamaru Usman and Ben Askren had to be split up prior to the UFC 235 press conference.
At Thursday’s UFC 235 press conference in Las Vegas, UFC newcomer Ben Askren claimed that Kamaru Usman tried to attack him backstage just moments before the event.
As it turns out, Askren was (kind of) telling the truth, as video footage has emerged of ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ confronting ‘Funky’ behind the scenes.
Check it out below, courtesy of Anatomy of a Fighter.
The two fighters got into a bit of a verbal exchange, and Usman had to be restrained by security and told to calm down. UFC president Dana White can be seen smirking as the action unfolded.
MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew provided a transcript of the altercation.
“Are me and Marty sitting next to each other?” Askren asked White.
“Do you know me?” – Usman asked.
“Yeah.” – Askren said.
“How do you know me?” – Usman asked.
“I know you because we used to hang out. We used to hang out at the Olympic training center.” – Askren said.
“Be quiet. You don’t know me.” – Usman said.
“I offered to fight you. There’s not much more to be said there.” – Askren said.
After the footage was released, both fighters continued to go back-and-forth on social media, with Askren sarcastically posting that he was ‘shaking’ in his ‘flip flops.’
I ain’t playing with these clowns man https://t.co/Kp5iniRlcZ
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) February 3, 2019
Marty you are so tough, so cool and so scary! Shaking in my flip flops https://t.co/dKBSl1k7GI
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) February 4, 2019
Both fighters will take on different opponents at UFC 235. Askren will make his Octagon debut against Robbie Lawler, and Usman will challenge Tyron Woodley for the welterweight title in the main event.
The highly anticipated pay-per-view takes place next month, March 2nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.