UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington had one of the hottest rivalries of 2019.
The pair headlined the UFC 245 pay-per-view (PPV) event last month in December and put on an absolute classic. Midway through the fight, Usman broke Covington’s jaw and was able to finish the action late in the fifth round to retain his title. A lot was said between the two men in the leadup to the fight, but Usman has been nothing but respectful since.
Speaking on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast recently, Usman gave props to Covington for the work he put in against him inside the Octagon in December. Usman gave respect where it was due, and even went as far as saying it’s clear to him that both himself and Covington are the two best welterweights in the division. (H/T MMA Junkie)
“He really showed how good he is, and I give respect when respect is due,” Usman said. “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.”
Both Usman and Covington are two of the best grapplers the division has to offer. With that being said, neither of them shot in for a takedown during their fight, instead deciding to keep it standing the entire time. It was a great back-and-forth contest between both men, and the fight was extremely close on the judges’ scorecards heading into the final round before the fight was finished.
Usman admitted that in between rounds he actually asked his corner if they thought he won the round. Something he had never done before in his career.
“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.”
What do you think about Usman naming himself and Covington as the best welterweights in the division?
The post Kamaru Usman: It’s Clear Colby Covington & I Are Two Best At 170 appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.
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