“We’re Not Tom Brady”- Speaking on Conor McGregor’s Return, Ex-UFC Champ Kamaru Usman Exposes the Gruesome Battle of MMA Fighters With Age

The anticipation for the return of Conor McGregor is higher than ever. It’s been over two years since fans have seen him in action inside the Octagon. While there is no word as to when the Irishman will come back, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman gave his take on the situation while revealing the horrid things MMA fighters go through.

Conor McGregor is the biggest name in the history of MMA. Hence, it is understandable that people would want to know when they can see him in action again. But very few people understand the path to a comeback, especially MMA fighters. In that regard, let’s see what ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ had to say.

Kamaru Usman talks about Conor McGregor while addressing the issue of age

The former welterweight champion sat down with Patrick Bet-David and his team for a chat in a recent YouTube video. There, he was asked about Conor McGregor and what he thinks about his return after a lay-off of more than two years. Kamaru Usman stated that he believes ‘The Notorious’ could deal with the thought of his return and come back like the fighter he was in his prime.

Usman said, “The decision [for McGregor] to plug back in, I think… I know he’s battling with [that thought]. Like, ‘How do I become that guy again?'” One of the podcast’s co-hosts, Adam Sosnick, asked ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ if age plays a role in MMA, given that athletes like Tom Brady have competed well past their 40s. Kamaru Usman replied by claiming that there is a vast difference between the two sports.

“[Age] definitely plays a factor. I mean, we’re not Tom Brady. We don’t have 350-pound guys protecting us and we’re just throwing a ball,” said Kamaru Usman. While he did mention that football is not that easy, he also mentioned that MMA fighters destroy their bodies to get battle-ready.

“Not to say that’s not hard. That’s extremely difficult… but we are literally breaking our bodies, all day, every day,” the former champion further added. Usman then followed that up by talking about how he and other fighters prepare for competition. Let’s take a look at that front.

Usman claims that the hardest part is the training sessions before the fight

Kamaru Usman mentioned fans and enthusiasts of mixed martial arts only get to see fighters during a professional fight. However, they don’t know about the training that they put in for the fight, which he claims is much more difficult. Usman said, “The world only gets to see us for that, 25 minutes, while we’re up there but they don’t see the five months that we put in to get there. That’s even more difficult.”

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’  also claimed that getting to fight inside the Octagon for 3-5 rounds is more of a fun activity. But the training to get to that position is the toughest part that makes them push their bodies to the limit. “That 25 minutes is the fun part… that’s not what kills us… It’s the months and months and weeks and weeks of practice that we’re putting in twice a day. Sometimes some guys are getting it three [times] a day… it’s all of that,” Usman added.

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MMA fights can either go into the distance or end in just a few seconds. It depends on how well and how hard the fighters have prepared to edge past their opponents. When it comes to Conor McGregor, he is now at an age where most fighters claim it to be the twilight phase of their careers, which is past their prime. It remains to be seen how the Irishman fares when he comes back after such a long hiatus.

What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman’s statement? Drop your comments below.

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