Georges St-Pierre believes Kamaru Usman is facing a “hell of a challenge” after suffering nasty KO loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278

Georges St-Pierre believes Kamaru Usman is facing a ‘hell of a challenge’ after suffering a nasty knockout loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 278.

It was Usman (20-2 MMA) vs Edwards (20-3 MMA) in the welterweight main event on Saturday, August 20th. It was Leon Edwards who stunned Kamaru Usman (& fans) with a last-minute knockout to claim the world title.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” was 54 seconds away from winning by unanimous decision for a record tying 16th consecutive victory, but was caught by a devastating head kick from Edwards that brought it all crashing down (see that here).

Image Credit: UFC

UFC Hall of Famer, Georges St-Pierre, is weighing in on Usman’s ability to get the title back in his trilogy fight with Edwards. Speaking at a Q & A ahead of UFC Paris, Georges had this to say (h/t MMAJunkie):

“Kamaru was winning the fight, but he made a crucial mistake that is unforgettable at this level. He zigged when he should’ve zagged, and credit to Leon Edwards. He did a beautiful setup. It was amazing, and he won the world title. Now they’re going to have a rematch, hopefully, and we’ll see. Things change. You never fight the same fighter twice. You can fight the same name twice, but you never fight the same fighter twice. Every fight leaves a scar, for the best or for the worst.”

Continuing St-Pierre said:

“After a loss, very often we see fighters that a loss can affect their confidence. Confidence is very important for a fighter, because you can have all the skills in the world, but if you don’t have confidence it’s like someone that has a lot of money in his bank account, but no way of accessing it. So for the magic to happen, you need the skills and the confidence. So we’ll see how mentally strong Kamaru Usman is, and if he comes back and wins the title, I think it will add up to his legacy even more. But it’s going to be a hell of a fight, a hell of a challenge.”

When asked if Edwards was ‘lucky’ to win, Georges St-Pierre argued that ‘Rocky’ deserves full credit for what happened at UFC 278 saying:

“He showcased, in the first round, incredible skills to put Kamaru Usman on his back, mount him, taking his back. He showcased incredible skills right there. He was losing the second, third and fourth round, and was on his way to losing the fifth round. But I think what makes Leon Edwards so good is his fighting IQ. He is also so good at neutralizing his opponent’s strength. He is very good at shutting down his opponent’s strength and bringing the fight where he is comfortable – to make his opponent fight outside of his comfort zone, and I think that’s why Leon Edwards is so good.”

Concluding Georges acknowledged that in sport, and in the upcoming trilogy bout, anything can happen:

“That’s what makes the beauty of the sport, if you’re on the side of the winner, of course, because everything could happen. It would be boring if you would always know who would win. Like in any other sport, fighting, football – it’s no different. The best team doesn’t always win the game. It’s the team who plays the best the night of the game that will win. Fighting is the same. It’s not the best fighter that wins the fight. It’s the fighter that fights the best the night of the fight.”

Do you agree with Georges St-Pierre’s comments? Do you believe Usman will be able to take back the title in his next fight with Edwards?

Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!