Outside Source
On Saturday evening at UFC 258, Kamaru Usman overcame some early trouble to finish top-ranked contender Gilbert Burns and retain his welterweight title. It was a performance most regarded as stellar from the 170-pound champion, showcasing his ability to overcome adversity and his championship spirit. But for rival Colby Covington, all it showed was weakness.
“I think that looks like a guy really primed to get knocked out his next fight, and I want to be the one to deliver it,” Covington told Submission Radio. “He looks a little chinny. Dilbert, he’s an oversized m*dget, man, he’s a 155-er getting knocked out by 155-ers. The guy’s nothing, and that guy came out and dropped you and almost finished you in the first round? You got lucky to get out of that that he fell on his back and just sat there for five minutes and let you recover. Besides that, I didn’t see anything special. I see a guy that’s gotten worse. He changed camps and he looks like a different fighter in the worst way. He looks like he’s declined in his progression. So, he looks like a guy I’m ready to expose to the world, and I want to show them Colby “Chaos” Covington 2.0.”
Usman and Covington obviously have a history together. Both men were making their rise through the welterweight ranks at the same time, and while initially, Covington was primed to receive the first title shot at then-champion Tyron Woodley, he couldn’t come to terms with the UFC and instead, they gave Usman the shot. Usman won the belt and then defended against Covington for his first defense, knocking out “Chaos” in the fifth round of a back-and-forth fight. It’s a loss that Covington disputes, calling the stoppage early and saying he wants a second crack at “The Nigerian Nightmare.”
“Marty Fakenewsman, he got lucky as f*ck the first time we fought,” Covington said. “I was beating him three to one. The next time we fight, I’m not gotta get poisoned before the fight. In the fight, I’m not gonna have Marc Goddard to save him and stop momentum in the fight when I kick him in the liver and they call it a nut shot. That changed the whole momentum of the fight, man. And he had multiple breaks in the fight to catch his wind and regroup and stuff. And it was an early stoppage. I was winning the fight three to one. I want my rematch with Marty. Jorge ‘street Judas’ Masvidal forfeited out of the welterweight tournament, it’s only me and Marty Fakenewsman left at the top of the mountain.”
Unfortunately for Covington, his dreams don’t seem like they are destined to come true. For the last few months, the UFC had been working on booking a grudge match between Covington and Jorge Masvidal, and it was generally assumed that the winner would go on to challenge for the welterweight title again. However, after stopping Gilbert Burns on Saturday, Usman called for a rematch with Masvidal, saying he wants to face “Gamebred” with a full camp instead of on six days’ notice. Unsurprisingly, Covington was not a fan.
“It’s hilarious. Marty Fakenewsman is a complete coward,” Covington said. “If I had a win over him the way he has a win over me, I would want to run that back right away. You know you didn’t beat me, and the fans know that night in that arena, and everybody around the world knew that that was a bullsh*t stoppage, a bullsh*t fight, and there’s still a lot of stones that are unturned. So, there’s a lot of unfinished business. He just knows what presents him the hardest challenge, and that’s me. He’s looking for an easy payday, he’s looking for the Street Judas Masvidal cause he knows he’s washed up. That fight goes the same way every single time, guys.”
Whether or not Covington is right is, at this point, irrelevant. The wheels already seem to be turning for an Usman vs. Masvidal rematch, leaving Covington once again out in the cold. Instead, Dana White has suggested that Covington face third-ranked welterweight contender Leon Edwards, another bout that would ostensibly grant the winner a title shot, but Covington apparently has no interest in that.
“Leon (Edwards) hasn’t earned anything, boys. I’m in the Colby Covington Incorporated championship business, I’m not in the Leon Scott charity business. This isn’t charity hour, man. I’m fighting at the top of the mountain, I’m fighting the best in the world… It’s not my fault this kid hasn’t fought in two years. It’s not my fault this kid – there’s people from England fighting all the time in the pandemic, they’re not scared to fight. So, I’m not doing charity for this guy who hasn’t fought in two years. He’s irrelevant, he’s beat a bunch of bums, and I’m not doing charity. This isn’t charity hour, this is f*cking championship f*cking pay-per-view hour.”
It seems that once again, Colby Covington is destined to be at loggerheads with Dana White and the UFC.
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Farewell. Stefan Struve officially announces retirement citing health issues.
Meet the 16 candidates for ONE Championship’s Apprentice.
Free fights.
Co-Main Event. Discussing Kamaru Usman’s spectacular Saturday.
Anik & Florian. Discussing UFC 258 with Belal Muhammad.
This is the most important MMA event of the year.
Welp, guess this is the fight now.
You feeling generous and I’m feeling gooned out. I’m taking everything. What’s yours is mine #supernecessary
— Jorge Masvidal UFC (@GamebredFighter) February 15, 2021
Shots fired!
Khabib has a watch collection now.
Called and answered.
I would like to fight at middleweight 185lbs. There are three competitors that come to mind. Joaquin Buckley Kevin Hollyn and Darren till
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) February 16, 2021
One of these guys does not look like the others.
N/A.
I wrote this about Kamaru Usman and Saturday night. You should read it.
Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.
Poll
Who wins a rematch?
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71%
Usman
(20 votes)
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28%
Covington
(8 votes)
28 votes total
Vote Now
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This article first appeared at MMA Fighting – All Posts
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