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Welterweight champ Kamaru Usman wants to have his way with Colby Covington at UFC 245.
The UFC’s welterweight champion Kamaru Usman seems to fed up with his opponent’s trash talk ahead of their main event bout at UFC 245. Paired up against former interim title holder Colby Covington, who has been trying to get under the Nigerian’s skin for the past week, the champ sounds anxious to step into the Octagon and put his hands on the challenger.
In an interview with Combate, Usman explained how he admires all of which martial arts stand for, especially being respectful, and resents Covington for not following the same code of honor.
“One of martial arts most basic principles is respect. We’re in an era where there still is some discipline and respect, but we’re walking towards entertainment,” he said. “And in that department, people have been crossing the line as they please, just to score views, likes and numbers.
“Colby’s been doing it. I must recognize it takes a special kind of person to be hated wherever you go in the world. It doesn’t matter if he’s in Dubai, Brazil or the Dominican Republic, he’s hated all around the world. It takes a lot of talent to get there.”
Already sick of Covington’s antics and anxious to finally meet him in the Octagon as Saturday gets closer, Usman cannot wait to finally punish the former interim champion for his behavior. He fiercely expressed his feelings about Colby and what he stands for.
“Hate is a strong word. I was never taught to hate or have hate in my heart, but I loathe him, a lot,” he said. “I see his lack of respect for other people, the things he says, and I don’t have that in my life. I really do loathe that guy, I mean it, I’m not joking. I would love to punish him for four rounds and then knock him out in a brutal manner. I don’t think people would like it if I knocked him out quickly. I think they would prefer it if I tortured him and left his face all bloody and bruised for four and a half rounds and only then knock him out.”
Still undefeated in his UFC career, Kamaru Usman (15-1) will look for his eleventh straight win in the Octagon. Ever since his debut, when he won the 21st edition of The Ultimate Fighter, the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ defeated some of most notable names in the welterweight division, such as Demian Maia, Rafael dos Anjos, Tyron Woodley and Leon Edwards, among others.
Now, Usman is expected to take on Covington at UFC 245’s main event, on December 14, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card is scheduled to feature two more title fights, a featherweight one between the champion, Max Holloway, and top contender Alexander Volkanovski, and a female bantamweight battle between double champion Amanda Nunes and former featherweight title holder Germaine de Randamie.