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MMA World Tip Their Hat to Kamaru Usman After Ex-UFC Champ’s Show of Support for Francis Ngannou

Published 05/04/2024, 12:19 AM EDT

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Francis Ngannou has been going through something that no father ever should, the devastating loss of his 15-month-old son. And fellow UFC fighter Kamaru Usman seemingly came forward to support Ngannou for little Kobe’s funeral. As they say, the smallest coffins are indeed the heaviest!

It all happened a couple of days ago. The world got to know that something was wrong as ‘The Predator’ took to X and sent forth a cryptic message. Although the message left the world baffled, the sadness hidden in his words wasn’t a mystery. However, tears began to well up right after the former champ’s family followed up with the tragic news.

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Soon, Ngannou dropped the bombshell that sent the entire world of combat sports into mourning. He took to X and dropped the devastating news of his son’s passing. Furthermore, he added to his disarray, asking how could he live with such a void in his heart. He called out for help stating that he had no idea of what to do and how to deal with the situation. Without a doubt, the fans and fellow athletes poured in their hearts as the news began circling throughout the internet. Conor McGregor and Henry Cejudo were just a few among many others who shared some heartfelt messages for the former UFC fighter.

But Usman decided to support his friend by standing right next to Ngannou during the funeral of his son. As if to hide away their tears, the fighters covered their eyes with polaroids and joined their hands to pay their respect to the little soul. Undeniably, Usman’s presence gave some sort of comfort to Ngannou. After all, that’s what friends are for. To stand beside each other in times of need. And the fans didn’t fail to notice Usman being a good friend.

Fans laud Kamaru Usman as he stands by Francis Ngannou following his son’s tragic death

There is a picture that has been going viral on social media. Wherein ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ can be seen standing right beside Ngannou during his son’s funeral. As the photograph circled to Reddit, the fight fans took over the comments section and shared their feelings. 

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Some of the fans asserted Usman to be a good guy, thereafter giving their condolences to the broken father. One fan wrote, “Kamaru is a good dude, I’m sure people have heard about the money he loaned Francis and then Francis made it. Sad to see Francis go through this. Even all the money in the world can’t buy happiness or ever bring his son back.”

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Another fan praised the Nigerian fighter for being a family man, claiming there was no surprise with Usman being there for Ngannou. “Kamaru’s been a good dude, and seemingly a family man above all else. The way he talks about his daughter is really heartwarming and he brings her up often. No surprise to see him by Ngannou’s side here.”

Some fans had their perspective changed for Usman. While the fighter shows how bad he is during his fight promotions, the reality is quite different. One fan wrote, “Kamaru just seems like a genuinely good guy regardless of how some people may feel about his ufc personality. A true homie.” Another comment read, “Used to think Usman was corney like he was doing the jon jones thing of pretending to be the man that your not but Kamaru is 100% real with himself.”

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Additionally, many fans sided with Usman for being a good mate and even expressed that they wanted friends like him. One of the comments read, “I think a lot of us would give a whole lot to have a friend like him.” and another read, “We all need a friend like Kamaru. Or, we should be that friend.”

During such sorrowful times, only a friend can relieve the broken-hearted from the misery. And Usman, being a good friend to Ngannou, did what he seemingly needed the most. We wish Ngannou and his family all the strength and peace during these trying times. 

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Written by:

Krushna Prasad Pattnaik

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Krushna Pattnaik is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports, with a deep passion for mixed martial arts and storytelling. He comes with insider knowledge owing to his extensive training in BJJ, Tae-Kwon-Do, and Muay Thai. Coupled with his journalistic flair, Krushna’s expert takes and unique perspectives are in a league of their own.
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Edited by:

Joyita Das