After he originally named Ciryl Gane as the top male fighter of 2021, Daniel Cormier has changed his mind and tabbed Kamaru Usman with the top spot.
Usman went 3-0 in 2021, with dominant performances over the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington. After earning the title over Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 in 2019, he’s emerged as arguably the best MMA fighter on the planet.
Cormier has turned into one of the most prominent voices in MMA media after an accolade-filled UFC career. He recently named Gane as his Fighter of the Year after earning the interim heavyweight title.
“I did the weigh-in show a few weeks ago, and I picked Ciryl Gane,” Cormier said. “Because he beat Alexander Volkov, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and beat Derrick Lewis for the interim title to face Francis Ngannou. But then when I started to think about it and looked at who Kamaru Usman has beaten, how he’s beaten them. We don’t get champions like him who is as dominant and fights as often. He’s not only defended the belt three times but has also made a jump in terms of his profile, visibility, and marketability. Everything is at an elite level after beating those top guys.”
Kamaru Usman Ended 2021 As The UFC’s Pound-For-Pound No. 1
Usman had arguably the best year of his career in 2021 and capped it off with the top spot on the UFC’s pound-for-pound list. He earned the top spot over stars such as Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones.
Usman’s final hurdle of the year came in a highly-anticipated title rematch against Covington. It was another back-and-forth battle, but Usman was able to endure Covington’s late surge and retain the title.
Usman has also teased a potential boxing super-fight against Canelo Alvarez, although it remains to be seen if it’ll come to fruition.
There are arguably a plethora of MMA fighters worth of Male Fighter of the Year, but Cormier thinks Usman deserves the award more than anyone in the sport.
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley thinks a couple of UFC stars could give Jake Paul issues in the boxing ring.
O’Malley knows a thing or two about boxing, as he’s widely regarded as arguably one of the best boxers in the UFC. He most recently earned a dominant knockout win over Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
Paul has attracted the attention of many around the MMA community, especially after his knockout over Tyron Woodley. Paul has managed to keep up the MMA vs. boxing narrative with his fights and callouts.
“Masvidal or Kamaru would be the toughest fights for Jake boxing-wise,” O’Malley said.
After his knockout over Woodley, Paul also called out Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor as two potential opponents. Despite O’Malley’s endorsements of Usman and Masvidal to face Paul, he explained the difficulties of negotiating the potential bouts.
“Diaz, Masvidal, Kamaru, that can’t even be negotiated,” O’Malley continued. “You cannot negotiate under UFC contract, so those fights will not happen unless Dana really wants to see Jake lose and is very, very confident in one of his fighters, that they can beat him. But even then, I don’t know if he would let them fight. I don’t know. We’ll see what’s next. I don’t think it’ll be anyone on the UFC roster.”
Sean O’Malley, Jake Paul Planning On Big 2022
O’Malley has praised Jake and Logan Paul in the past, going as far as to say he’s felt inspired by watching their career transitions. The Paul brothers have managed to take their large following from content creation into the sport of boxing.
O’Malley and Paul are both on winning streaks to wrap up 2021. Paul is undefeated in his young boxing career, while O’Malley has won three UFC bouts in a row.
O’Malley and Paul are two of the more polarizing young stars in their respective sports, but that hasn’t stopped the two of them from having mutual respect for one another.
Do you think Kamaru Usman or Jorge Masvidal would outbox Jake Paul?
Manager to the stars, Ali Abdelaziz, is tired of hearing people talk about fighting for the BMF title.
The BMF title was a specially crafted belt designed for and awarded to the winner of the fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Ultimately, it would be Masvidal who was awarded the novelty belt, with none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson putting it around his waist after their UFC 244 main event was stopped by the doctor.
Since then, and despite the fact that Dana White has made it clear that this was a one-off situation, there have been countless fighters calling for their crack at the BMF title. Everyone ranging from Leon Edwards toColby Covington and more has asked for their own opportunity to fight for it.
One of the more recent people to call for the BMF title was Covington, who spoke in an interview about wanting to see it up for grabs if he is to fight Jorge Masvidal, like both men and many others want.
“Put that fuckin’ wack-ass BMF belt back on the fuckin’ line. Everybody knows who the real baddest motherfucker in this sport is. It’s Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington. Bring that fuckin’ belt out and lets fuckin’ do this shit: do The Ultimate Fighter whatever, tape for four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, and run this fight in Miami. It makes sense,” Covington said.
“Let’s go to American Airlines Arena. We could sell out that arena in seconds. And if we don’t go to American Airlines, we can go right up the street to BB&T Center, which is 30 minutes up the street. I’ll beat his ass in both arenas. We’ll go beat BB&T Center, go up to Broward County; then, go down to Miami-Dade County and beat his ass in American Airlines Arena. Fuckin’ little bitch Jorge.”
Stop Asking For A BMF Belt, Says Abdelaziz
One person who is tired of hearing talks of a BMF title is one of the biggest managers in MMA, Ali Abdelaziz. In fact, he issued something of a response to the people who are asking for it, but seemingly Colby Covington in particular.
Posting to Twitter, Abdelaziz explained that his client, welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, is the lineal BMF champ after knocking out Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261. Therefore, he demands that nobody else asks to fight for this title, as it is no longer relevant.
Please stop talking about this BMF belt @USMAN84kg won that belt and he throw it in the garbage already Win some fights and try to win the undisputed UFC title. Good luck with that
“Please stop talking about this BMF belt @USMAN84kg won that belt and he throw it in the garbage already Win some fights and try to win the undisputed UFC title. Good luck with that,” Abdelaziz wrote.
The fact is the only time that Dana White even showed interest in bringing the BMF title back into circulation was in the event of a rematch between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. So even though Kamaru Usman might be the lineal titleholder, it is all just talk, as the actual belt does not appear to be going up for grabs anytime soon.
Do you still acknowledge the existence of the BMF title?
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman wants to leave a legacy outside of the Octagon just as much as he already has inside of it.
Usman is fresh off his title rematch win over Colby Covington last month at UFC 268. He’s already thought about what’s not only next for his career, but also his life after combat sports.
Usman, along with fellow UFC champions Israel Adesanya and Francis Ngannou, has visited Africa on separate occasions in an attempt to help impoverished communities and give people role models to look up to. Usman, in particular, shows his Nigerian pride every time he makes his walk to the Octagon with the Nigerian flag draped over his shoulders.
“Nigeria is one of the world’s richest nations in terms of resources, yet many people are living with no hope,” Usman said. “They don’t know what they can do to alter the course of their lives. Meeting many people during a recent visit, including some high-ranking officials, definitely led me to think about how I can help make a positive change there. Recently I partnered with a company called FIVE-FOUR which is working to do MMA promotions in Nigeria.
“I’m hoping to give people an opportunity to get into this sport that has changed my life—much like The Ultimate Fighter show was the beginning of my journey,” Usman continued. “We plan on hosting a lot of great events with different regions visiting each other—like Nigeria versus Congo, or South Africa. The goal is to eventually take those fighters out globally as well.”
Usman, Adesanya, and Ngannou have also publicly made the case to host a massive UFC event in Africa, which would be incredible featuring the three champions.
Usman has won 19 straight fights and is undefeated in his UFC career. After his most recent dispatching of top contenders such as Covington and Jorge Masvidal, Usman is now entering the discussion as arguably the greatest welterweight in UFC history.
If and when Usman retires over the next few years, he’ll no doubt be amongst the greatest to ever enter the Octagon. If his plan to change the sport of MMA in Nigeria comes to fruition, he could have an even greater impact in his post-fight chapter.
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping has called for UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman and middleweight king Israel Adesanya to fight, despite being compatriots.
Usman and Adesanya are two of three African champions reigning over divisions in the UFC right now, the other being Francis Ngannou. The pair have been dominant since reaching their respective mountaintops, accumulating a combined eight title defenses.
“The Nigerian Nightmare,” who boasts a perfect 14-0 promotional record, has seen off the challenge of Gilbert Burns and two each from Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington since his title-winning performance against Tyron Woodley in 2019.
“The Last Stylebender,” meanwhile, has defended his gold against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori since dethroning Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 two-and-a-half years ago. He’s also had a failed pursuit of two-division glory, with Jan Blachowicz adding the first blemish on his professional MMA record earlier this year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CT_4mMXvfhN/
Bisping Says Adesanya Needs “Fresh Meat”
With both men dominating, the pool of contenders is certainly thinning, especially for the Nigerian-New Zealander. While Usman has the likes of Leon Edwards, Vicente Luque, and Khamzat Chimaev likely to challenge for the belt in the near future, Adesanya has beaten most top contenders at 185 pounds.
The middleweight titleholder is set to run it back with Robert Whittaker early next year, but beyond that, aside from the winner of Derek Brunson vs. Jared Cannonier, it’s looking like slim pickings for Adesanya. With that in mind, Michael Bisping believes “The Last Stylebender” needs some “fresh meat” from below.
“I think Usman Just needs to step up and fight fucking Israel Adesanya. I know they’re both from fucking Nigeria, right? So fucking what? So what? I don’t care. I don’t know how many people live in Nigeria, I’m going to guess 75 million. If Adesanya continues to lap everybody and certainly if he beats Robert Whitaker, he needs fresh meat. If Kamaru continues to win, c’mon! C’mon!” (h/t Sportskeeda)
While Usman has already firmly shut down the idea of fighting his fellow Nigerian, both men are seemingly going to be pre-occupied for the first two quarters of 2022 anyway. While Adesanya looks to record a second victory over “The Reaper,” Usman will likely be making his next defense in the first half of the year, potentially opposite former opponent Edwards.
But if both men continue their dominance, perhaps the idea of a dream Usman vs. Adesanya clash will be re-visited.
How do you think a fight between Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya would play out?
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman wants boxing star Anthony Joshua to come train with him to iron out his clinch work.
Usman’s stock has skyrocketed over the past few years, and most notably in 2021, as arguably one of the most dominant UFC champions ever. He’s most recently earned knockouts over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal along with a unanimous decision win over Colby Covington.
Usman has become a major fixture in the world of combat sports, as further evidenced by his recent invitation to Joshua to work on his wrestling. After watching a clip of Joshua getting some wrestling training in, Usman offered his services to the heavyweight boxing star.
“Ah ah my brother, you for call me nah,” Usman commented in ‘Pidgin English’. “Dis is my specialty.”
Usman has most recently teased a potential money fight against boxing champion Canelo Alvarez in due time. Once thought of as a grappling specialist, Usman’s striking has vastly improved over his past few wins in the Octagon.
Joshua is set for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk in 2022. He had been on track to face Tyson Fury before losing his heavyweight titles to Usyk earlier this year and activating his rematch clause.
This isn’t the first time Joshua has been seen training in MMA during his boxing camps. He most recently trained with former UFC middleweight Luke Barnatt and has enhanced his knowledge of the sport as a whole.
Usman and Joshua could learn a lot from one another, and it’ll be interesting to see if these two stars work together in the gym.
What are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman offering to train boxers in grappling?
Belal Muhammad thinks he is next in line for a fight against UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.
Riding the momentum of his win Saturday night against Stephen Thompson, Muhammad insisted on himself being the next name in line for the welterweight division’s current champ. He made his case for a title fight following his win, stating exactly why he thinks other names don’t match up to a title fight including him.
Muhammad sees other challengers as not a good enough test for Usman. He thinks the current champ has received too much credit for his wins and isn’t as good as people make him out to be.
“My streak is as long as Leon [Edwards’] streak, and he already lost to Usman. Let’s stop with these rematches. Let’s stop with ‘oh he beat Colby [Covington] twice, he beat [Jorge] Masvidal twice, he’s the GOAT.’ Nah, give him new blood,” said Muhammad during the post-fight press conference Saturday.
Muhammad arguably scored the biggest win of his career over the weekend, putting on a dominant performance against “Wonderboy” Thompson. His use of wrestling along with ground-and-pound allowed him a lopsided decision win that saw him earn a 10-8 round on all three judge’s scorecards.
Muhammad is now undefeated since 2019 with six wins in that time. Before Saturday, his most recent win came against veteran Demian Maia at UFC 263.
He should expect a jolt up the welterweight rankings next week, as Thompson entered the weekend ranked fifth in the division.
Usman has dominated the welterweight division since becoming champion in 2019 with a win over Tyron Woodley. He defended his belt for the fifth time in November, defeating Covington via decision in a rematch.
Do you think Belal Muhammad should be next in line for a title fight?
In 2021, UFC fans are well aware that Kamaru Usman is 2-0 against Jorge Masvidal, which includes one of the front-runners for knockouts of the year at UFC 261. On this day two years ago, however, not only had Usman and Masvidal not yet fought, but they were not even booked to fight.
In fact, Usman was only days removed from his first successful title defense against Colby Covington. Nevertheless, Masvidal shared his prediction for how a fight against Usman would go. With the benefit of hindsight, fans can weigh the forthcoming comments against the tide of reality.
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of the MMA News Archives.
Jorge Masvidal believes only casual fans feel Kamaru Usman has a chance against him.
Masvidal’s stock has never been higher and he has some options. “Gamebred” is riding a three-fight winning streak and is coming off a third-round TKO victory over Nate Diaz at UFC 244. Masvidal’s popularity has skyrocketed and potential bouts with Nick Diaz, Conor McGregor, and UFC welterweight champion Usman are all possibilities.
Masvidal Says He’d Embarrass Usman, Sets Sights On McGregor
Usman scored a fifth-round TKO victory over Colby Covington this past Saturday night (Dec. 14) to retain his UFC gold for the first time. In a series of video clips posted by Hans Molenkamp through Instagram Stories, Masvidal said he doesn’t believe Usman would stand a chance against him.
“Before I could even challenge for this belt, this is what a lot of people don’t know. A lot of people say that I’m an overnight success story and this and that. I say f*ck you. I say I’ve been here 16 years. You can do the math on how many nights of staying up, no sleep at the gym to finally get here. And now they’re saying that this one dude, this old dude from Africa is the best guy at my weight. I beg to differ man. I think I’d embarrass him to the point that people, they’d think that I went full heel on him from just the embarrassment I’d give him on TV because our skillsets are nowhere near the same. And if you’re hearing this right now and you’re thinking Kamaru has a chance, you’re the f*cking casual because my lineage runs 16 years back of being in this f*cking game.”
Masvidal made it clear that he is targeting Conor McGregor before anyone.
“The first guy to get his ass f*cking kicked and his teeth f*cking punched in is Conor. That’s the first guy that gonna get the floor wiped with. And then after that we’ll sit back and decide who’s next, you know?”
McGregor is scheduled to return to action on Jan. 18. He’ll take on Donald Cerrone in the main event of UFC 246 in Las Vegas. The bout will be contested in the welterweight division.
Nate Diaz blasted Jorge Masvidal with a subtle, albeit savage tweet after Masvidal called him out for dissing Dustin Poirier.
Diaz and Poirier have gone back and forth on social media for months, especially after Poirier’s loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269. Masvidal, an American Top Team teammate of Poirier, wasn’t happy with Diaz’s latest jabs at the two-time lightweight title challenger.
Masvidal aimed at Diaz’s inability to defend kicks, which he has been criticized for throughout his career. After getting word of Masvidal’s tweet, Diaz took the time to hit back with an image from Masvidal’s knockout loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 261.
“I just came across this,” Diaz tweeted along with the image.
Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal Have Had Beef Since Their BMF Bout
Image Credit: Michael Owens/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
At one point, there appeared to be a large amount of mutual respect between Diaz and Masvidal heading into their BMF matchup at UFC 244. After Masvidal earned the win via doctor’s stoppage and an immediate rematch wasn’t granted, Diaz has grown hostile towards Masvidal.
Diaz is coming off his UFC 263 loss to Leon Edwards earlier this year, a fellow rival of Masvidal’s. Both men are awaiting their next opponents in the Octagon as the UFC turns its attention to 2022.
Diaz had been recently linked to a possible matchup with Khamzat Chimaev, although Diaz emphatically rejected that pairing. Diaz and Conor McGregor have also gone back-and-forth on social media, and a trilogy between them could also be imminent.
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has described arch-rival Colby Covington as the “most complete” opponent he’s ever faced inside the Octagon.
Covington has challenged for Usman’s gold on two occasions. In their first meeting, which took place at UFC 245 in December 2019, “Chaos” took the champ to the limit. Having won the 170-pound title with a win against Tyron Woodley nine months earlier, Usman was defending the belt for the first time. It’s arguable that he hasn’t faced a stiffer test since.
After four rounds of grueling action on the feet, most had the fight level heading into the fifth and final frame. Despite the former interim titleholder’s best efforts, it was Usman who secured a late TKO stoppage.
After seeing off the threat of Gilbert Burns and two challenges from Jorge Masvidal, Usman ran it back with Covington for his fifth title defense earlier this month. In the main event of UFC 268, “The Nigerian Nightmare” once again defeated the #1-ranked contender, this time on the judges’ scorecards.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CV9peNUMBnR/
Usman Can’t Pinpoint A Weakness In Covington’s Game
During a recent appearance on the Full Send Podcast, Usman discussed where Covington ranks among the other contenders and fighters he’s traded leather with. According to the welterweight kingpin, the 33-year-old is the most well-rounded of them all.
“Yeah, I wanna say he was probably the most complete. He was the most complete because he can wrestle, he can strike, he has a good gas tank. Usually everybody else, I could kind of pinpoint something about them that’s like… it might be a weakness that I can exploit and I can push for but, you know, he probably was the most complete.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Usman’s next step appears to be yet another rematch, this time with Leon Edwards. The Englishman had been set to meet Masvidal at UFC 269 next month. After “Gamebred” withdrew due to injury, “Rocky” announced his intention to wait for a title shot.
The champ has also made his desire to set-up a blockbuster crossover showdown with boxing’s pound-for-pound best Canelo Álvarez known, something Covington laughed off in a recent interview with MMA News. Whichever route he goes down, Usman will certainly be hoping to further cement his place in the GOAT conversation.
What should be next for Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington?
Former UFC welterweight and middleweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre has suggested Kamaru Usman is “on his way” to achieving GOAT status at 170 pounds.
With every appearance in the Octagon, Usman is further establishing his reign over the welterweight roster and cementing his status as one of the greatest to have ever fought in the UFC. At 15-0 on MMA’s biggest stage, “The Nigerian Nightmare” boasts the most consecutive wins in the 170-pound division, is just one victory away from equaling Anderson Silva’s tally, and is two more triumphs from leveling Jon Jones’ overall UFC streak record.
Since dethroning Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 in 2019, Usman has defended the gold five times, twice against Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, and once versus Gilbert Burns. After marking his third win of the year by seeing off the challenge of “Chaos” for the second time, many, including UFC President Dana White, believe the champ has secured top spot in the welterweight GOAT debate.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWnrtPUgfRg/
Has St-Pierre Been Dethroned?
The consensus best-ever at 170 pounds has long been Georges St-Pierre. The UFC Hall of Famer is a two-time champ, having won the belt from Matt Hughes in 2007 and regained it against Matt Serra in a 2008 unification clash. Across an incredible nine title defenses during his second reign, “Rush” saw off the challenges of stars like BJ Penn, Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, Carlos Condit, and Nick Diaz.
Despite his incredible accomplishments, which also transcended over to middleweight, GSP has seemingly come to terms with the possibility of Usman surpassing his legacy in the weight class.
During a recent episode of SPORF’s Hot Takes, the Canadian was shown a tweet in which the user suggested “The Nigerian Nightmare” has what it takes to be the welterweight GOAT. In response, St-Pierre admitted the current champ is “on his way.”
“Well he’s on his way. Rome was not built in a week. It took years. So, same thing with Kamaru Usman. He’s on his way. He’s doing fantastic and I’m a big fan of him. I truly believe, right now, he’s probably the best fighter right now, and probably the best active fighter in the UFC. He’s doing very well. Only the future will tell us.”
While St-Pierre continues to push away talk of a return to the Octagon, Usman will be analyzing the current welterweight landscape in preparation for his next challenger. Most believe the champ will run it back with Leon Edwards next. “Rocky” is unbeaten in 10 fights since a loss to Usman.
With Vicente Luque, Khamzat Chimaev, and Sean Brady all looking to rise up and earn a shot at the king, Usman could get close to St Pierre’s title-defense record if he can continue his dominance in the cage.
Do you think Kamaru Usman can surpass Georges St-Pierre to become the welterweight GOAT?
Dana White reveals he might have an idea for Leon Edwards.
The welterweight title picture seemed pretty clear for a bit. Kamaru Usman beat Colby Covington for the second time and Leon Edwards was going to fight Jorge Masvidal for the next contender spot. Although, now that Jorge Masvidal is injured, that could leave Edwards hanging in the balance. However, UFC president Dana White might have an idea up his sleeve.
JUST IN:
Per Dana White, the UFC is currently 'working on something' for Leon Edwards following Jorge Masvidal's withdrawal from their grudge match.
Will be interesting to see what that is as White also said they won't look to book champ Kamaru Usman until his hand is better. pic.twitter.com/crWkUGOYrB
“JUST IN: Per Dana White, the UFC is currently ‘working on something’ for Leon Edwards following Jorge Masvidal’s withdrawal from their grudge match. Will be interesting to see what that is as White also said they won’t look to book champ Kamaru Usman until his hand is better.”
According to MMA reporter Chisanga Malata, White has a plan for Edwards. However, with Usman out for an undisclosed amount of time, it could be interesting to see what is in store for him. He had been very adamant about only wanting a title shot even before he accepted the Masvidal fight. Now with Masvidal out, he has gone back to requiring the next title shot.
Edwards has had ten fights in a row without a loss. He did have a no-contest thrown in there after an accidental eye poke on Belal Muhammad. Many believed his last win over Nate Diaz in June should have sealed the deal on a title shot.
Colby Covington’s words to Kamaru Usman immediately after their UFC 268 rematch have been revealed.
At the close of the second fight between UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, Covington could be seen whispering something to his rival after the fight. Though the cameras were unable to pick it up during the pay-per-view broadcast, a video released on the UFC on BT Sport Twitter page gave the audience an up-close listen of the exchange.
"It's all love."
The UFC cameras reveal what was said between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington after their rematch at UFC 268.
The video above may be blacked out in certain areas. You can view the video here.
Here is what appeared to be said in the exchange:
Covington: “You know I’m just trying to sell it for you.”
Usman: “What?”
Covington: “You know I’m just trying to sell it for you.”
Usman: “I know. I know.”
Covington: “It’s all love.”
There was more to the exchange, but the audio was unable to pick it up. Whatever was said, it was enough for referee Dan Miragliotta, who was standing point-blank range between them, to say the two athletes could “kiss later” as he was splitting them up.
In an interview with Submission Radio after the fight, Covington claimed he offered Usman a promo code for the online betting website he is sponsored by. And in the UFC 268 post-fight press conference, Usman declined to share the particulars of what was said between them.
In the same post-fight press conference, Covington shut down any suggestions that he respects Usman. On the contrary, he would pick up where he left off before the fight in trashing his greatest rival.
“He’s a cheating coward. I have no respect for that guy,” Covington said when asked about the post-fight exchange between him and Usman. “He’s obviously a cheater. He’s cheated in multiple fights. I mean, he was holding my glove tonight against the cage. In the first round, I shot a takedown and he went bom-bom twice to the back of the head.”
Covington has also repeated steroid accusations made against Usman in later interviews, without a trace of any thaw in his feud with Usman.
For Usman’s part, he can’t help but admire Covington’s commitment to his “character,” which the welterweight champion likened to the dedication displayed for three decades by WWE legend, The Undertaker.
You can watch more exclusive, intimate footage from UFC 268 on the full episode of UFC 268: The Thrill and the Agony available on UFC Fight Pass.
What are your thoughts on this video revealing the exchange between Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman after their UFC 268 bout?
Kamaru Usman has recounted a story from years ago about an airport encounter with Colby Covington that later left him dumbstruck and resentful.
By now, it’s difficult to remember a time when Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington were not rivals. The animosity between the two welterweights has contributed to two of the best title fights the division has ever seen.
In an appearance on the FULL SEND PODCAST recently, Usman discussed the origins of his long-running feud with Covington. According to a tale from the reigning champion, the tension between the two didn’t really take off until after a strange episode in an airport following a UFC event.
“Funny story: Colby, started doing this whole—because of course, he wasn’t getting any love. I mean, he was winning but he’s just a little boring, beady-eyed little mug. No one really cared about this guy. And so I’m winning, and I’m just kinda moving up more than he is. And so he started oing the shtick. He started talking shit online. He started tweeting and stuff. And then I seen it. I’m like, ‘Damn, we just got in the UFC, maybe two fights deep each. And I’m like, ‘Goddamn, why does this guy have a problem with me?’ And so we went to a fight. I forget where that was at. But we went somewhere, so we were flying back.
“So we seen him at the airport, and he’s by himself. He’s got that stupid little neck pillow on, and I seen him across. I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m gonna run up on him. If he talk crazy, I’mma steal on him right here. We about to fight him right here.’ But then, at the same time, I’m thinking, ‘Damn, I don’t wanna be on the no-fly list. Because if you mess around in the airport, you get put on that list. I don’t wanna do that.”
What happened next threw Usman for a swerve. The mean-spirited character displayed by Covington over the Internet seemed to have vanished, leaving Usman feeling like the only bad guy in the conversation.
“So I’m thinking, ‘OK, how do I approach it? Let’s approach him here, give him the look. Let him know, ‘Hey, is is not cool.’ So I go up to him and my teammate is recording it like a jackass. He’s recording it and he’s instigating it. You know how it is. He’s like, ‘You won’t do nothin’. I bet you won’t do nothin’.’ So I walk up to him, and I’m like, ‘Alright, let me not come too aggressive, but at the same time, let him know that I’m serious.’
Kamaru Usman (Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa)
“So I go and I sit in front of him and I’m like, ‘What’s going on, man?’ And I give him the look, like the tough look. ‘What’s going on, man?’ And he was so nice that I felt like a jackass right after the break. I was like, ‘Ugh! Damn, I was trying to be mean, and he’s trying to be nice.’ He’s like, <polite voice> ‘What’s up, man? How you doing?’ I was like, <awkardly> ‘Uh, I’m cool. I’m cool. What’s up?’
“So I was all ready for action, but he was so nice. I was like, ‘Damn, I’m like, I’m kind of a jackass here….and so now I felt like a jerk and I’m like, <meekly> ‘Aight, um, yeah, aight, see you later.’ So I get up and I’m like, ‘Damn, I felt like a jerk for that.”
The story doesn’t end there, however. What happened next would inspire an epiphany from Usman, which is that there would inevitably come a day when he would punch Colby Covington in the face.
“Then the next week, this motherfucker gets online, he’s like, ‘Next time you see me at the airport, I’mma smack the shit out of you if I see you!’ I’m like, ‘Bro! You were just a nice guy!’ And that’s really at that point I was like, ‘OK, at some point, me and him are gonna be locked in that Octagon and we’re gonna scrap.”
Usman was victorious in both of these eventual scraps. Their bout at UFC 245 in 2019 was the MMA News Fight of the Year. And earlier this month, the premier UFC welterweights ran it back in another nail-biter. Once again, Usman would emerge victorious, keeping his undefeated UFC record intact.
Covington appeared to be friendly in the Octagon immediately after the bout concluded. However, similar to Usman’s account in the story above, Covington would then revert to trashing him from afar after their face-to-face confrontation.
