Kamaru Usman has reacted for the first time to Conor McGregor's remarks in the immediate aftermath of UFC 278.
Usman appeared to be seconds away from securing a unanimous decision win over Leon Edwards in the welterweight championship clash when he was knocked out cold by a vicious head kick.
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ wasn’t even back to his feet before McGregor, who is targeting the 170lb belt when he returns from injury, began mocking him in a series of Twitter posts.
Post-fight, footage of Usman’s eight-year-old daughter crying hysterically after watching her dad get knocked out went viral, prompting ‘Notorious’ to comment.
“Just witnessed Kamaru Usman’s daughter get carried out of the arena floor by one of his team as she bawled her eyes out. That was a sad sight," MMA reporter Mike Bohn posted about the incident.
“I feel this deep. I do not suggest bringing family whatsoever. Especially the children,” McGregor replied.
“This is different fighting. I’ve done both sides of this and feel going to the mission solo is best. You can see family again post battle.
“Will definitely be continuing this way going forward.”
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During a recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Usman revealed he was sitting in the hospital getting checked over post-UFC 278 the first time he saw the video of Samirah crying cageside.
“The camera pans into the audience and they showed my daughter, my daughter cried and it was the weirdest thing. It was an instant trigger response. My heart, I wanted to cry just seeing that from her,” he said.
The 35-year-old insists he will continue to bring his child to his fights, as it is important that she watches him win, lose, and bounce back from adversity, something he plans to do in his next bout.
“Conor tweeted something, kind of blasting me for bringing her to the fight and this and that,” Usman added. “He tweeted some mean things and it’s just like, ‘How low are people sometimes?’
“Absolutely, I’m going to bring her. My daughter is not only going to see when Daddy is victorious, Daddy gets to beat everybody and Daddy get’s to put her in the best school or wherever she wants to be.
"I am blessed right now with an opportunity to show my daughter that, ‘Look, you can fall down and look how you can get back up.'
“To see people like Conor, who actually does have children, say something like that, it was like, 'Man, you’re missing the mark big time, bro.' You’re missing it big time.”
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