Georges St-Pierre says Kamaru Usman made a crucial, unforgettable mistake against Leon Edwards at UFC 278.
UFC Hall of Famer and former welterweight king Georges St-Pierre claims Kamaru Usman made a crucial, unforgettable mistake against Leon Edwards at UFC 278 that will haunt him for the rest of his life: He zigged when he should have zagged.
Usman zigged straight into a head kick that some coaches feel could have been avoided had ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ not become so complacent in the fifth round.
St-Pierre credited Edwards, who was down 3-1 on the judges’ scorecards heading into the fifth, for setting up the perfect head kick and is excited about the prospect of a rematch after calls for a trilogy following the fight.
“Kamaru was winning the fight, but he made a crucial mistake that is unforgettable at this level,” St-Pierre said of Usman during a recent Q&A ahead of UFC Paris (h/t MMA Junkie). “He zigged when he should’ve zagged, and credit to Leon Edwards. He did a beautiful setup. It was amazing, and he won the world title. Now they’re going to have a rematch, hopefully, and we’ll see. Things change. You never fight the same fighter twice. You can fight the same name twice, but you never fight the same fighter twice. Every fight leaves a scar, for the best or for the worst.”
Usman had one of the most impressive UFC title reigns in the promotion’s history, defending his welterweight championship five times and all but clearing out the division before he was knocked out and usurped by Edwards last month.
Both men are expected to meet in a trilogy fight next year, with the matchup likely to take place in the U.K., possibly at London’s Wembley Stadium.