Nigerian-American martial arts champion, Kamaru Usman has shared stories of his humble beginning in Nigeria before relocating to the United States in search of greener pastures.
The UFC’s current welterweight champion disclosed this and many more in a wide-ranging interview on a Channels TV program, Gist Nigeria on Thursday.
Read Also: Nigerian UFC Star, Kamaru Usman Defeats Jorge Masvidal To Retain Welterweight Title (Photos)
During the interview, the Auchi-born fighter recalled how he grew up in a village, learning how to farm, adding that he even hawked fufu (blended cassava).
He described his mother as a hustler who sold different things, saying that’s one of the things he respects about her.
Usman said;
We grew up in the village. We farmed. As a small boy, farm boy, I used to hawk Akpu, put hot Akpu on my head. I came from nothing.
There is just struggle every day, the struggle to, how are we gonna eat next week, next month. What are we gonna do?
We owned a small store where we sold clothes, we sold shoes, my mum sold bags, anything that we could sell, my mum was able to get and try to sell. My mum was a hustler and that is one of the things I respect so much about her as a woman with three rowdy Naija boys.
The fighter also disclosed that his father went to prison while he was still in the University, and also talked about the father-daughter bond he enjoys with his five-year-old daughter, Samirah.
Usman added;
My daughter, Samirah, I love her to death. She’s very intriguing to me because from about 6 months to about three and half years of her life, she went to the gym with me every day. Then she hit about five years and then she started saying, ‘you know I’m not going to do this daddy, right. You know I’m not going do this sport.’
I think I have to just accept that and honestly I don’t think I want her to this sport anyway. She’s got her thing, she’s doing gymnastics and for self defence. She does Ju-Jitsu because she has to learn how to control the situation if anything happens. I’m okay with those right now.
Read Also: UFC 258: Kamaru Usman Knocks Out Burns, Retains Welterweight Title
The UFC Champion further revealed he is planning to fully move into commentary and analysis of mixed martial arts after retirement.
He said;
Talking about the Sport that I’ve spent so much time in, that’s a dream. So now instead of getting punched in the face you are talking about people who are getting punched in the face. And so, it’s a dream for me but I’m slowly getting my feet wet in it and finding my ground because it is something I definitely want to do when I walk away from this sport.
Usman, who will again defend his belt in a rematch with Jorge Masvidal on April 24 in Jacksonville, Florida, also listed some Nigerian dishes he still tries to eat once in a while, and that one of those meals that stands out among them is Pounded yam and Egusi.
