Kamaru Usman’s Revelations: The Untold Story of His Role in Georges St-Pierre’s UFC 167 Camp
In a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast, reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman shared a surprising revelation with MMA legend Georges St-Pierre. Usman disclosed that he played a pivotal role as the main training partner of Johny Hendricks ahead of Hendricks’ monumental clash with St-Pierre at UFC 167 in November 2013. At the time, Hendricks was riding a wave of success and aimed to halt St-Pierre’s streak of eight consecutive title defenses, prompting Usman, then a burgeoning fighter, to step in and emulate St-Pierre’s style during training sessions.
Reflecting on those intense training sessions, Usman recounted, “I actually studied you a lot even before I was actually, I think, in the UFC. I studied you because when you fought — I don’t know if I told you this — when you fought Johny Hendricks, I was brought in, I was his main sparring partner at one point. I was brought in to mimic you.”
Usman’s meticulous preparation and commitment to replicating St-Pierre’s techniques proved invaluable as Hendricks delivered one of the most competitive fights in St-Pierre’s illustrious career. Although St-Pierre emerged victorious via a contentious split decision, the bout remains a topic of debate among fans and pundits.
Drawing parallels between his and St-Pierre’s career trajectories, Usman highlighted their shared pre-fight rituals, emphasizing the importance of mental preparation. He spoke candidly about his own pre-fight routine, mirroring St-Pierre’s method of visualizing scenarios and engaging in self-talk to enhance mental focus.
As Usman and St-Pierre exchanged insights into their respective approaches to combat sports, their conversation shed light on the enduring impact of preparation and mindset in achieving success at the highest level of mixed martial arts.
