Kamaru Usman reveals Leon Edwards gave him a “20-minute nap” with head kick KO at UFC 278: “Immediately I come to, I’m in the ambulance”

By Harry Kettle - September 6, 2022

Kamaru Usman has explained what happened when he was knocked out by Leon Edwards at UFC 278 last month.

Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman, UFC 278

For three years, Kamaru Usman sat at the top of the welterweight division as the king of the mountain. He turned back the likes of Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal, establishing himself as one of the best 170-pounders of all-time in the process.

However, in a moment of madness at UFC 278, his empire came crumbling down thanks to one of the greatest head kick knockouts ever from Leon Edwards.

It was clear to see that it was a vicious shot and during a recent interview with Joe Rogan, Usman opened up on just how scary things got in Utah.

“I was good,” Usman said. “I watched the fight over, I’m good. I was talking, I talked to Trevor [Wittman], I talked to everyone, because you know you go back and then you go in the medical tent and they take care of you and all of that. I talked to my family, I hugged everyone, because it was on video and everything. I remember sitting. It was like, Leon gave me a 20-minute nap.

“I was laughing hysterically in the hospital because I had to go in to get scanned and all of that, which everything was fine. Immediately I come to, I’m in the ambulance, they’re asking, ‘Do you know where you are?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, Salt Lake City. UFC 278.’ They’re like, ‘What’s your date of birth?’ I answer them. They’re like, ‘Wow, perfect.’ I answered everything perfectly.”

In terms of the final sequence, Usman went into more detail about how the finish happened.

“I’m moving, moving, OK, I’ve got him set up, which I really didn’t. I shake left, I shake right, and I’m sitting in an ambulance and they’re asking me, ‘Do you know where you’re at?’ I’m like, ‘What the f***?’”

Quotes via MMA Fighting

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