Kamaru Usman trains with former interim UFC champion in preparation for upcoming title clash

As he prepares to take on Leon Edwards in a trilogy fight, Kamaru Usman shared images of himself training with former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

Usman posted on Twitter with the caption:

"AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, ONE MAN SHARPENS ANOTHER"

Gaethje has been known to train with Usman, as they both share a head coach – Trevor Wittman. Many fans believe Usman's improved striking that he showed in both the Jorge Masvidal rematch and the Gilbert Burns fight is a result of Wittman's brilliance as well as Gaethje's influence. Along with Gaethje and Usman, Wittman also coaches another former UFC champion, Rose Namajunas.

All three fighters had a very impressive year in 2021, leading to Wittman being considered one of the best coaches around. Despite all of them suffering defeats recently, they along with Wittman are still considered to be amongst the very best.

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Kamaru Usman takes on Leon Edwards at UFC 286 in London

Kamaru Usman aims to recapture the welterweight strap in his trilogy fight against Leon Edwards. After dominating Edwards for almost the entirety of their first title bout, Usman was caught by a head kick that left him unconscious and saw Edwards being nominated for Knockout of the Year.

Watch Edwards' KO and the rest of the nominees here:

Given the brutality of the finish, it's hard to say how Usman will return to the octagon. He appears to have taken the defeat positively, and all signs indicate that we will see a healthy and healed Usman at UFC 286.

With the welterweight strap on the line, Usman has a chance to cement himself as arguably the best-ever at 170 pounds and will be eager to impose his will on Leon Edwards.

He can take encouragement from their first two fights, the majority of which Kamaru Usman dominated with his wrestling. At UFC 286, the two will settle the score, once and for all.