Kamaru Usman pushes back on Conor McGregor backlash in sympathetic UFC 329 response: ‘Felt for him’

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ disagrees with how some have reacted to Conor McGregor’s failed comeback.

After the UFC 329 numbered event, Kamaru Usman will headline UFC Oklahoma this Saturday in a middleweight contest against Dricus du Plessis.

That clash of former champions won’t need to do much to surpass essentially the most recent predominant event, which led to just 69 seconds after McGregor injured his knee against Max Holloway.

The Irishman is a polarizing and controversial figure, so many have been unsympathetic about how his first fight in five years played out.

Kamaru Usman ‘feels for’ Conor McGregor after ‘worst thing that would have happened’ at UFC 329

The International Fight Week event in Las Vegas marked McGregor’s return from a lengthy layoff, having been on the sidelines ever because the broken leg he suffered against Dustin Poirier in 2021.

A unique injury spoiled the Irishman’s latest try and add only a second win to his record since becoming a two-division UFC champion in 2016.

Given his litany of controversies away from the Octagon, some saw the UFC 329 setback as karmic justice and mocked ‘The Notorious’.

There was none of that from Usman ahead of his own return to the cage, as he as an alternative showed sympathy for his fellow ex-UFC titleholder.

“I saw numerous the backlash online and form of how people were going at him,” Usman said during an interview with Paramount ahead of his return on July 18.

“It’s a tricky thing to do and I remember watching at home and going, ‘This might either go very well or really bad. There isn’t a in between.’ I could form of feel Conor’s spirit as he was warming up backstage. After which he comes out and that happens.

“It’s concerning the worst that would’ve happened,” he continued. “So, I definitely felt for him since it’s a dark place to be.”

Usman’s supportive remarks come despite his history with the first-ever simultaneous UFC double champ.

After he knocked out Jorge Masvidal in 2021, Usman got here under fire from McGregor, who vowed to “smack” the welterweight legend for “copying” his combination.

And just this yr, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ attempted to throw his name into the hat to welcome the Dublin native back to motion.