UFC 286 is scheduled to be performed on Saturday, with the primary match being the Welterweight identify battle between present champion Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman. The bout will be offering Usman a possibility to redeem himself after his identify loss to Edwards by way of knockout at UFC 278.
On Friday, former MMA fighter Michael Bisping delved into what Usman may well be feeling prior to the high-voltage contest. Bisping cited his personal instance when throughout his taking part in occupation he were given knocked down by means of Dan Henderson at UFC 100. Seven years later in UFC 204 when Bisping locked horns with Henderson once more, the former loss performed closely on his thoughts.
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“For me, when I fought Henderson the first time, I got sparked out, I got knocked out really badly — and you can lie to everyone, but you can’t lie to yourself,” Bisping at UFC 286’s visitor fighter Q&A.
“You can communicate to the media, you’ll do interviews, even your family and friends, say, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’m assured, I’m excellent, I’m excellent.’ But then at the day, I began pondering, ‘The remaining time I stepped right into a cage with this man, I were given knocked out subconscious and the entire international laughed at me.’ So the nerves began to creep in,” he recalled.
Bisping mentioned what Usman would possibly undergo in his thoughts prior to the bout begins on Saturday. He additionally highlighted how a lot affect his earlier loss to Edwards would have on his pysche and self belief prior to he enters the cage.
“To be truthful, that is what Kamaru goes to move via. [Saturday] evening. Because, he does not realize it — and he is an overly, very particular athlete, so I’m no longer announcing that he cannot come again from that, as a result of you’ll — however nonetheless, he most definitely is not mindful, till the Final few hours of preparation, if you find yourself laying in mattress, you might be seeking to take a sleep, seeking to save your power for the battle, and also you in finding you’ll’t sleep. Because, hang on a minute, the conclusion that you will battle this guy once more and it’s possible you’ll get put to sleep in entrance of the entire international, it is a nerve-wracking factor,” stated Bisping.
