Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman brought his family to the UFC 278 pay-per-view (PPV) event last month in Salt Lake City, but his daughter had to be carried away in tears after “The Nigerian Nightmare” was knocked unconscious by newly-crowned 170-pound kingpin Leon Edwards.
“I feel this deep,” former lightweight champion Conor McGregor wrote on Twitter after the fight. “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.”
I guess “Notorious” was still a plumber’s apprentice back in 2006 because he made no mention of Fedor Emelianenko consoling Mark Coleman’s weepy daughters after “The Hammer” got trounced in the PRIDE 32: “Real Deal” headliner in Las Vegas.
“When my daughter was crying, that one, it got to me,” Usman told The Joe Rogan Experience. “I didn’t like seeing that. And then, Conor tweeted something and it was kinda blasting me about for like bringing her to the fight. Like he tweeted some mean things, and it was like ‘how low of people sometimes.’’’
That was pretty tame when you consider how low McGregor can truly go.
“I’m in a weird place like I’m trying to teach her,” Usman continued. “She has work ethic, but it’s kinda like, ‘Uhh! I don’t wanna do that today, I wanna quit.’ And I’m trying to teach her the best way I can without forcing her. But I’m not only gonna bring her because daddy’s victorious. I am blessed right now with an opportunity to show my daughter that look how you can fall down, and look how you can get back up. And to see someone like Conor who does actually have children to say something like that, you’re missing the mark big-time bro.”
Usman is expected to rematch Edwards for the 170-pound title at some point in early 2023. As for the outspoken McGregor, he does not yet have a definitive timeline for return after breaking his leg in his second loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 back in summer 2021.