I never thought I’d have to write these words. In May this year, I received the biggest body blow by being told I’ve been diagnosed with Neuroendocrine carcinoma. My mind staggered to take in the doctor’s words considering there’s only so much as humans that we can control.
This is my story.
I share it so others are inspired by the words of some of my combat sports heroes. In the darkest of times, these words have been the ‘words from my corner’, the pep talk I needed to pick myself up and battle on.
Kamaru Usman is a former UFC World Champion and Pound for Pound Great.
He recently lost his welterweight title to none other than the UK’s Leon Edwards by getting knocked out in the final round.
Despite Kamaru never losing in a fashion like that, he’s openly endorsed Leon for his victory. In fact, he’s even willing to challenge Leon in away territory.
This alone demonstrates that despite Kamaru being frustrated with the loss, his athlete mentality hasn’t been fazed as much as other former champions.
This isn’t the first time Usman’s demonstrated resilience. When he was 23 years old, his father was sentenced to health care fraud for 15 years, likely a traumatic experience for anyone.
Although, he didn’t let this moment of adversity stop him from becoming the best version of himself. He’s utilised as much of himself to grow the profile of African MMA.
For example, this November, he’ll be featuring in the Black Mirror sequel in tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
Many years ago, he’s earnt a spot in the Collegiate Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Plus, he’s powered an African-orientated MMA promotion company to host its first contest.
What exactly is my desired sports industry legacy?
Ash’s Sports Talk has been an integral part of building my personal brand to gain recognition in the industry, a major reason for receiving my position as a Digital Content Executive at Oporto Sports.
You can view my portfolio here in terms of my achievements.
Now, my legacy lies in the desire to support athletes, brands, and other passionate combat parties through the power of athlete-driven marketing, storytelling, content creation and other digital marketing methods, which I’m always happy to chat more about.
Sharing lessons sports professionals can learn through sports content 