"I'm pedal to the metal" - Kamaru Usman explains why he didn't play it safe in the last round of his rematch against Leon Edwards despite knowing he was winning

Kamaru Usman was knocked unconscious by Leon Edwards after dominating his British rival for most of the fight at UFC 278 on August 20.

'The Nigerian Nightmare' could've easily cruised to a decision by keeping his distance or utilizing his strong wrestling base. Instead, he went after 'Rocky' and got caught with a head kick.

During a recent interaction with TMZ Sports, Usman explained that he doesn't like to play it safe when he's inside the cage. The Nigerian-born star also revealed that he was aiming for a finish before getting dropped by Edwards.

"When I fight, there's a reason I go... I'm pedal to the metal and I don't look at the clock... I'm a goer, I'm going, I'm non-stop, I'm going. I don't look at the clock. So bing, I hear the bell, in my head, I still want to go and the referee is like, Hey, break! Go to your corners,' [but] I still want to go."

Usman continued:

"So I never really look at the clock, I'm always pedal to the metal and that's the way that I fight and I wanted to finish. It was just a beautiful technique. I could've taken him down but I really wanted to finish."

Watch Kamaru Usman's full interview with TMZ Sports below:

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Reclaiming the welterweight throne is top priority for Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman was one of the dominant champions in the UFC before getting stopped by Leon Edwards.

Usman defeated some of the biggest names in the division during his championship reign. He was quite vocal about the move up to light heavyweight among boxing ventures, including a potential boxing clash with Canelo Alvarez.

However, it appears that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is not focusing on these things at the moment. In the aforementioned interview with TMZ Sports, Usman revealed that his biggest priority at the moment is to prove he's the best at his game. He is looking to reclaim his lost welterweight crown.

Here's what Usman said:

"I'm a mixed martial artist and I'm the best mixed martial artist in the world. So, that's what I need to do. I need to prove that. I think of nothing else right now except that. When you sit on top of that thrown, then you can branch out and do other things."

He added:

"Right now, I don't sit on top of that throne right now. I'm not paying attention to all this side noise and side talk or anything like that. Let's focus on what we need to focus on first which is getting that back and then we'll decide."

Kamaru Usman will have the opportunity to reclaim the welterweight gold when he faces Leon Edwards in a trilogy fight. The pair could potentially collide at Wembley Stadium in the UK. However, a date is yet to be announced.