Tag: Kamaru Usman

Former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington still thinks Kamaru Usman has some work to do before he is ready to challenge for a title.

Usman looked quite impressive in his unanimous decision win over Rafael dos Anjos at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 28 Finale last weekend.

UFC President Dana White was so taken back by Usman’s performance that he said the “The Nigerian Nightmare” may leapfrog Covington for the next title shot. In typical “Chaos” fashion, when he heard his boss’ comments, he didn’t even bat an eye. If Covington was bothered by what White said he sure didn’t look the part.

“I don’t pay attention too much to that kind of stuff,” Covington told MMAjunkie Radio. “I just focus on what I can control, I focus on my training, I focus on my belief and just everything. Improving every day as a martial artist, as a person, and just learning from everything. I don’t really take too much credit into that. People were saying Dana said some comments. I didn’t even hear his comments, I don’t pay attention, I didn’t know there was even a fight show on Friday night. … I got better (expletive) to do. I’m the cardio king. I’m out with all my chicks. …

“Dana White’s a smart man. He’s a businessman. The numbers don’t lie. Any way you want to do it, I’m what’s best for business. Hate me or love me, I am what’s best for business. I don’t pay attention to any negative. I only focus on the positive.”

If Covington is passed over for a title shot, he believes Usman’s case is weak. While both Covington and Usman have defeated the same two opponents recently, Colby is quick to point out the differences. Mainly how he dismantled doj Anjos and Demian Maia while Usman merely survived.

 “Snooze-man, his last two fights, he hasn’t beaten anybody coming off wins,” Covington said. “Don’t you think he should have to earn a fight against someone coming off a win? He just fought two guys that I’d already took their souls. Those guys were shells of their former selves because I took those guys’ souls.

“So, Usman needs to go out there and prove himself and beat someone coming off a win. And then we can talk, you know? Besides that, the guy’s just copying everything I do. He literally wants to be me. He’s begging to be me.”

Covington’s most pressing issue now revolves around fighting Tyron Woodley as soon as possible. There have been rumors that the UFC is targeting the matchup for UFC 233 on Jan. 26, however, nothing is confirmed.

Covington did say he’s “100 percent” ready to fight, though, and if it takes place at the January event in Anaheim, Calif., he’ll relish that setting.

“Ruining (Tyron Woodley’s) career in front of all his fake, Hollywood, liberal slime friends, that would be such a tip of my feather in my hat,” Covington said. “I’ll be ready whenever they need to make this fight, and if California is it, then California is it.”

Let us know what you think. Who should get the next crack at Tyron Woodley?

The post Colby Covington Destroys Dana White’s Praise Of Kamaru Usman appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

The MMA world was very impressed with Kamaru Usman’s unanimous decision victory over Rafael dos Anjos at the TUF 28 Finale, but there is one person who wasn’t: the current #1 contender for the welterweight championship, Colby Covington. In fact, Colby Covington claims that he had no interest in the TUF 28 Finale event or […]

The post Colby Covington: Kamaru Usman Is “Begging to Be Me” appeared first on MMA News.

[MMA NEWS ARCHIVES]

Hours ahead of the rematch between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington tonight at UFC 268, here’s one of a long list of stories from our archives that documents this intense rivalry. The following story is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.

[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED DECEMBER 3, 2018, 10:02 PM]

Kamaru Usman has made no secret of how he feels about Colby Covington and everything that he stands for.

In fact, it seems as though Covington’s name tends to be broached by the interviewer and addressed by Usman in nearly every interview “The Nigerian Nightmare” conducts. The same can’t be said for Covington, however, who seems to make it a point to never mention Kamaru Usman by name.

This factoid was not lost on Kamaru Usman, who after referring to Covington as “that other guy” in an appearance on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” on Monday, stated that he has no problem mentioning Colby Covington by name but believes the same can’t be said for “that other guy”:

“The thing is, I spent a long time wanting that fight because when you have a guy that runs his mouth and says, oh, well, you ducked me, or this and that, or whatever…bro, I didn’t duck you,” Usman said. “They’ve offered us that fight four times…four different occasions…and I’ve accepted all four times, and he’s ducked me all four times.

“I can say his name. I can say Qweefington’s name or Covington’s name or Duckington’s name. I can say his name. It doesn’t matter. But can he say my name? That’s the issue. He can’t. When was the last time you heard him say my name?”

Kamaru Usman then expressed the only moniker matters to him right now, which is also the name and identity he hopes to steal: “UFC Welterweight Champion.”

“So that’s a fight that I’ve been offered several times,” Usman said of Covington. “I’ve accepted the fight several times. I just no longer want to give it energy anymore. So I’m not going to waste my energy or thoughts about that. All we’re looking towards now is that title. Whoever has that title will be dealt with accordingly.”

Do you agree with Kamaru Usman? Is Colby Covington incapable of uttering his name?

Continue Reading [ARCHIVES] Usman Goes Full Walter White on Covington: Say My Name at MMA News.