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Kamaru Usman Reveals How Defeats Became His Greatest Weapon Ahead of New UFC Chapter
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman says the setbacks he has endured in recent years have equipped him with a powerful new weapon as he prepares for the next phase of his mixed martial arts career.
The Nigerian-born fighter, widely regarded as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history, believes the lessons learned from defeat have transformed his mindset and strengthened his approach to competition.
“I’ve studied myself the way I study opponents,” Usman said. “And what I’ve learned is that my greatest weakness has become my greatest strength. The same intensity that cost me in some fights is the same intensity that will carry me to where I need to be. It’s about channeling it differently.”
The 38-year-old explained that experience has taught him the importance of controlling his emotions and adapting his strategy based on the circumstances of each fight.
“It’s about understanding the room and reading the opponent and knowing when to turn up the heat and when to be surgical. That’s not just physical evolution. That’s mental mastery. And that’s what this next chapter is built on,” he added.
Usman’s comments come after a challenging period in his career.
In his last four UFC appearances, “The Nigerian Nightmare” has recorded one victory and three defeats.
His run began with a dramatic fifth-round knockout loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022, a defeat that ended his lengthy reign as UFC welterweight champion.
He subsequently lost a closely contested trilogy bout against Edwards by majority decision at UFC 286 in March 2023.
Later that year, Usman stepped up to the middleweight division on short notice to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, suffering another narrow majority decision defeat.
However, the former champion bounced back impressively on June 14, 2025, when he dominated Joaquin Buckley over five rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory and snap his three-fight losing streak.
Reflecting on his journey, Usman emphasized that both success and failure have played crucial roles in shaping him as a fighter.
“Every fight I’ve had has prepared me for this moment. The wins taught me what it takes to be great. The losses taught me what it takes to stay great. Most fighters don’t get the benefit of both lessons.”
With renewed confidence and a refined mindset, Usman believes the difficult experiences of recent years have positioned him for another successful chapter inside the Octagon.
He is due for a return to the Octagon on July 18, 2026 when he is will be facing South African Dircus du Plesis in the main event of the UFC Oklahoma
Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Musa Gusau has announced his resignation from office, bringing his four-year tenure at the helm of Nigerian football to an end amid mounting pressure over the state of the country’s football.
Gusau made the announcement on Thursday during a World Press Conference in Abuja, where he addressed journalists amid weeks of speculation over the future of his administration.
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The resignation marks a dramatic development in the crisis surrounding the NFF, coming barely a month before the federation’s scheduled elective congress in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Gusau had been expected to use the press conference to address reports of his possible resignation, the future of the NFF Executive Committee and the growing pressure for a change in the administration of Nigerian football.
His announcement now confirms the reports that had dominated Nigerian football since the early hours of Thursday, with several members of the NFF Executive Committee also reported to have stepped down.
The development comes after weeks of intense criticism of the federation following a series of disappointing results involving Nigeria’s national teams.
The Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while the Super Falcons suffered the even more damaging setback of missing the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1991.
The Falcons’ failure followed their 2-1 defeat to South Africa in the decisive qualification play-off, further intensifying calls for accountability and major changes within Nigerian football.
Gusau’s administration had responded to the crisis by setting up a fact-finding committee to investigate the causes of Nigeria’s recent poor performances and recommend solutions to the problems confronting the country’s football.
The committee, chaired by former NFF General Secretary Fanny Amun, submitted its report before Amun resigned from the panel, saying he wanted to protect the independence and integrity of the committee’s findings.
Gusau’s resignation now adds another extraordinary twist to an already turbulent period for Nigerian football.
The former Zamfara State Football Association chairman was elected NFF president in September 2022 and had repeatedly defended the work of his administration, including its efforts to stabilise the federation and improve the domestic game.
But pressure mounted after the Super Eagles’ World Cup failure and reached another level following the historic Super Falcons setback.
Several former internationals and football stakeholders had openly called for the NFF board to resign, with former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel, Richard Owubokiri and other prominent voices demanding a change of leadership.
The situation was further complicated by reports that security agencies were scrutinising the use of a Federal Government intervention fund released to settle outstanding obligations involving Nigeria’s national teams.
With Gusau now announcing his resignation publicly, attention will immediately turn to what happens next to the NFF and its scheduled electoral process.
The federation is expected to convene an emergency Congress to deliberate on the leadership vacuum and determine the next steps for Nigerian football.
After four years in charge, Gusau has now left the NFF at one of the most turbulent moments in its history.
And as the dust settles on his announcement in Abuja, one question dominates Nigerian football: what comes next after Gusau?
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