UFC: Kamaru Usman on his bond with ‘brother’ Israel Adesanya – ‘it’s a friendly rivalry’
- UFC welterweight champion says watching fellow Nigerian succeed gives him extra drive
- ‘We’re neck and neck … it’s a friendly rivalry,’ adds Usman of the middleweight champ
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.