Former two-weight UFC champion, Conor McGregor has urged his fellow fighters to refrain from bringing family members to their fights, after footage emerged of former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman’s daughter in distress during her father’s knockout loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 last weekend.
Headlining UFC 278 against two-time foe, Edwards, Usman, who led the fight on all three judges scorecards approaching a second career win over the Birmingham native, was stopped with just a minute remaining in the final round, as Edwards unleashed a brutal fifth round high kick.
Seeing his undefeated UFC run halted after 15 consecutive victories, Usman, who was attempting to secure his sixth successful defense of the welterweight title, suffered the first loss of his Octagon tenure as well as the first knockout defeat of his professional career to boot.
Off the back of the shocking and definitive knockout loss, footage emerged of Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz and management stablemate, Henry Cejudo – awestruck on fighter’s row at the Vivint Arena following the result. However, further footage and a report from MMA Junkie reporter, Mike Bohn revealed how Usman’s young daughter was escorted from the arena after viewing her father’s brutal knockout loss.
“Just witnessed Kamaru Usman’s daughter get carried out off the arena floor by one of his team as she bawled her eyes out,” Mike Bohn tweeted. “That was a sad sight. #UFC278.”
Conor McGregor urges his fellow combatants to leave their families at home
Initially laughing at Usman’s shocking knockout loss, Conor McGregor, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the UFC banner, urged his fellow fighters to refrain from bringing family members and children to the arena.
“I feel this deep,” Conor McGregor tweeted. “I do not suggest bringing family whatsoever. Especially the children. This is different fighting. I’ve done both sides of this and feel going to the mission solo is best. You can see family again post-battle. Will definitely be continuing this way going forward.”
Off the back of his title win over Usman, Edwards has expressed his willingness to share the Octagon with the Auchi native in an immediate championship trilogy rubber match in the U.K. next year.