“This is what we do,” he said. “Fighters fight. You train your whole career, your whole life, to learn how to fight. And if this is not what you do, if this is not your profession, this is not your job, then you fight and then you take a long layoff or vacation, then when you have a fight, you jump back in again. People do that, but this is my profession. This is what I do right now. I’m a fighter, and so fighters fight. You know what they say. If you’re ready, you ain’t got to get ready.”
Watch All The Free Fights From UFC 294 Fighters
Staying in shape and preparing for a fighter like Chimaev are two different things. It’s risky for Usman in a lot of ways. It’s a fight without a training camp focused on his opponent, “The Nigerian Nightmare” is moving up a weight class, he’s coming off back-to-back losses to Edwards, and he’s 36.
Usman’s not blinking.
