Covington on Usman: ‘He’s going to fight me emotional’ and I’m going to KO him

Colby Covington predicts an easy knockout against Kamaru Usman. Kamaru Usman was calm, cool and collected in his welterweight title fight against long-reigning champ Tyron Woodley at UFC 235, cruising to a unanimous decision to take home t…

Colby Covington predicts an easy knockout against Kamaru Usman.

Kamaru Usman was calm, cool and collected in his welterweight title fight against long-reigning champ Tyron Woodley at UFC 235, cruising to a unanimous decision to take home the belt.

Shortly after the fight, though, Usman got into a heated physical altercation with former UFC interim welterweight titleholder Colby Covington at the Palms Casino Resort buffet in Las Vegas, and Covington is using it as ammunition to break Usman down ahead of their inevitable championship showdown inside the Octagon.

Speaking to MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti in a recent interview, ‘Chaos’ said Usman’s emotions will get the better of him on fight night, predicting an easy knockout victory against ‘Nigerian Nightmare.’

“I don’t think — I know I’m living rent-free [in Usman’s head],” Covington said. “Just the reaction I saw of him the day after his fight with Woodley, that showed me everything I need to know. I am in his head and he’s going to fight me emotional and I’m going to knock him out.

“He going to be throwing wild, he’s going to be trying reckless takedowns, and he’s going to gas out, man. People don’t realize how good I am and how good my cardio is until you’re in that Octagon with me, and he’s going to find out the hard way. He’s going to get his head dunked underwater in the 10-foot part of the pool. We’re not going to be in the kiddie pool like he’s used to, so his time is coming to an end. It’s just a matter of time.”

Usman vs. Covington hasn’t been made official, but head president Dana White said the UFC is working on the match-up. Expect an official announcement in the coming weeks.