UFC: Kamaru Usman on his bond with ‘brother’ Israel Adesanya – ‘it’s a friendly rivalry’

Kamaru Usman is rightfully holding court in Las Vegas this past weekend when we meet. He’s here today for a media session hosted by the Dominance MMA Management team who help guide his career.

Later he will watch his friend Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya (19-0) successfully defend his middleweight crown against Cuba’s Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero (13-5) as the headline event of UFC 248.

The less said now about that particular dance the better but in the hours before Usman was keen to talk up his friend, the Kiwi fighter who also has Nigerian roots and who also has the world – and the UFC – at his feet. Their characters, he says, are similar.

“We are alike, me and him,” Usman says. “I knew Izzy before he was even looked at by the UFC, while he was fighting in China. That was when we met for the first time. [Hall of Famer] Rashad Evans was there doing a promo tour when he was there fighting in China and met him. I was living with Rashad at the time and he was like ‘You got to meet this guy.’”

They met, with Adesanya coming out to the US to work as a sparring partner for the likes of former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.

“We knew he was a tremendous talent from the first time we saw him,” Usman says. “He’s my brother. Watching him succeed gives me the extra motivation, some extra drive. We’re neck and neck.

“It’s a friendly rivalry. When he goes out and puts on a tremendous performance I know I got to top that. To watch him blow up, I just love it. I can’t wait to see where he gets to.”

Adesanya remains unbeaten in the UFC and unbeaten in the sport, and Usman has not had his colours lowered since 2013.

There was something seemingly fated about Usman’s rise to the top of the welterweight division, as he dispensed with the names and the reputations before overwhelming the American incumbent Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley (19-4-1) for a unanimous decision to take the belt at UFC 235 back in March last year.

On that night Woodley couldn’t seem to find an answer to his foe, surprised as he seemed by Usman’s strength. It’s much the same situation when you speak to the man.

“I think as fighters we all deal with insecurities,” admits Usman. “I think the fool is the fighter who thinks they are invincible because no one is invincible. We all have insecurities. There are all these little things that drive us to work harder.

“But it does change you being a champion. How can it not change you? For one thing I don’t have to eat ramen noodles all the time. I can have steak when I want steak.

“But the most important thing is not letting it change your heart. How you treat people, how you react to people. People, their energy towards you is going to change and that’s going to affect you. The danger is that it changes the goodness in your heart.”

Usman says part of the secret to his success is that he never stops searching.

“You need to keep asking questions, you need to keep developing,” he says. “You got to be well rounded because if you are not then you are going to be left in the Stone Age.”