“Yeah, I was definitely in his shoes,” Usman told ESPN. “Honestly, looking back, I realize I probably rushed it. I probably should have rested longer, especially since I was guaranteed a title shot.”
Usman knows the fervor with which he tried to right a wrong after his first loss to Leon Edwards, and cautions Adesanya against doing so.
“I know that as a competitor, he feels the same way I did back then and thinks, ‘No, this guy shouldn’t have beaten me.’ First of all, this guy shouldn’t have been there with me at all, that’s how I felt, and that’s why I wanted to come back as quickly as possible and wipe that stain off of me immediately. But if he’s guaranteed a title shot, I strongly advise him to take a break, rest up and enjoy life”
Adesanya has had five title fights in the last nineteen months and Usman believes that such activity may have affected the outcome of the fight.
“I think it was over-activity for Izzy. He’s been fighting too much and he’s topped a lot of number tournaments. At this point, he needs to take a break. He can rest, make the necessary changes and win this fight.”