Usman Expects To Face Covington Again
Despite their heated rivalry, UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman can give Colby Covington credit where it’s due.
The two competed in a back-and-forth war in the main event of UFC 245 last month. Covington broke his jaw earlier on but was still in the fight until Usman eventually finished him in the fifth round.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” could only show respect to his foe during a recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He even believes him and Covington are the two best welterweights in the world and expects to battle him again in the future.
“He really showed how good he is, and I give respect when respect is due,” Usman said (via MMA Junkie). “I’m no hater. I know he could fight. I know he was good. I knew he was tough and I knew he was a competitor, as well. He’s always been a competitor.
“He’s a tough guy, and at the end of the day, to make fantastic fights, you got to have the right dance partner, and he was the right dance partner. To be honest with you, if I didn’t take too much out of him – because each fight takes something from you internally – so if I didn’t take too much from him, I think I might see him again, to be honest, because it’s clear that we are the best two guys in the division, and so yeah, I look forward to seeing him again.”
The fight was so close that one judge had Covington winning 3-1, the other had Usman winning 3-1, while the third had it 2-2 with the fifth round being the decider.
It was a testament to Covington that the fight was close, especially as for the first time, Usman had to ask his coaches whether he was winning rounds. But even still, Usman knew he would eventually get the finish.
“I knew it was close because for the first time ever, I asked my coaches, ‘Did I win that round?’” Usman said. “I’ve never in my career done that. I’m the type of guy even when I was wrestling, I’m the type of wrestler who – I like to run up the scoreboard. I don’t like to leave any doubt that I won that round. I’m going to dominate that round. I’m going to make sure I won, so in my head, I know I won, I don’t need to ask. For the first time in my career I went back, I’m like, ‘Did I win that round?’”
“Even by me asking that, I never thought, ‘Oh, I’m not going to finish this fight.’ I always knew I was going to finish the fight.”
As of now, it’s not known when Usman will fight next but it appears Jorge Masvidal could be his next title defense. Especially after recent events.
