Kamaru Usman and Justin Gaethje share lighthearted banter about going hard during sparring sessions: "Six stitches in my chin, I still got a scar"

Kamaru Usman and Justin Gaethje shared some lighthearted banter with one another regarding going hard during their sparring sessions. Usman and Gaethje both smilingly suggested that the other was responsible for initiating the hard sparring.

Former UFC welterweight champion Usman and former interim UFC lightweight champion Gaethje have long trained with each other under the guidance of revered MMA coach Trevor Wittman at ONX Sports in Colorado. The two fighters also share the same manager, Dominance MMA's Ali Abdelaziz.

Back in 2024, Gaethje appeared on the Pound 4 Pound podcast hosted by Usman and former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo. They discussed Usman's and Gaethje's grueling sparring sessions, among other topics. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' asserted:

"You [Justin Gaethje] have hit me. You have tried to hurt me a few times."

Cejudo then chimed in and asked Usman whether he'd been calf-kicked by Gaethje, to which the former UFC welterweight kingpin recounted that he was indeed kicked by him. While Gaethje noted that he threw the kicks with shin guards, Usman indicated that they still hurt.

Usman then seemed to lightheartedly imply that Gaethje was the type of sparring partner who'd hit him very hard and then suggest that he (Usman) was trying to decisively beat him. Gaethje hit back by stating:

"[He gave me] six stitches in my chin, I still got a scar."

Usman then smilingly recounted that he'd simply defended himself against Gaethje because the latter tried to knock him out. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' explained that they had video footage of the sparring sessions in question, whereas Gaethje pointed out that he'd almost gotten knocked out by a right hand from Usman.

The 170-pound staple acknowledged that and underscored that the right hand was preceded by a well-executed set-up, with them both changing levels and then exchanging. Gaethje recalled that it hit him right in the eyeball and jestingly added:

"Some guys can perform in practice. And some guys, they don't perform under the lights. That is not me. I am constantly trying to take care of my partners, except unless it's this guy [Usman]."

Check out Kamaru Usman and Justin Gaethje's comments below:

Watch the podcast episode below (*comments at 24:11):

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Justin Gaethje's acrobatics in sparring footage alongside Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman last competed at middleweight against Khamzat Chimaev in October 2023, losing via majority decision. Usman has consistently signaled that he's likely to return to the welterweight division and fight soon. Meanwhile, Justin Gaethje's last fight witnessed him lose his BMF title via fifth-round KO in a lightweight showdown against Max Holloway in April 2024.

Gaethje is scheduled to face Rafael Fiziev in a rematch, which will co-headline UFC 313 on March 8, 2025. Earlier this month, 'The Highlight', heading into his high-profile fight at UFC 313, earned praise from fight fans for the acrobatics and athleticism he displayed in a training clip with Usman.

The American lightweight combatant pulled off a professional wrestling-esque reversal and acrobatic move against wrestling savant Usman's takedown attempt and appeared to get the better of their grappling exchange.

Check out Justin Gaethje's acrobatic maneuver below: