Colby Covington has a message for ‘easy money’ Kamaru Usman
By Mike Heck
Colby Covington will face Demian Maia in the biggest fight of his career on Oct. 28 but had some strong words for up and coming contender, Kamaru Usman.
Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington have gone back and forth on social media a few times, but they actually do have some things in common. Both are on impressive winning streaks, both are ascending the UFC welterweight divisional rankings, and both have done something not many others have done in the past; call out Demian Maia.
One difference they have is that Covington got the opportunity at UFC Fight Night 119 in Brazil on Oct. 28, while Usman is hoping to land a fight with Rafael dos Anjos in Detroit at UFC 218 following his first round KO victory over Sergio Moraes last month in Pittsburgh. Usman, who does not fault “Chaos” for making the most of his time to cut a promo, is not the kind of guy who will do the same. The “Nigerian Nightmare” feels that, essentially, Covington talked his way into the fight.
“It’s the trend now,” Usman told FanSided MMA. “The guy that runs their mouth the most is who’s getting fights, or who is getting fed. That’s not my cup of tea. I would never go out of my way to say outlandish, non-truthful things about guys, about my opponents. I got in this sport because I wanted to compete. That is why I’m here and that is what I will do and continue to do so with the utmost integrity. I’m just stating the facts. He’s just a guy that is running his mouth trying to get fights, and that’s fine, that’s working for him. In the end, hopefully, our paths will cross and I’ll be able to silence that guy.”
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Covington has seen and heard Usman’s comments, not just with this particular interview, but with others in the past. “Chaos”, who is hoping for a shot at Tyron Woodley and the UFC welterweight title with an impressive performance over Maia, gave his take on the situation.
“When I hear a guy like that open his mouth, that guy is the biggest f**kin douchebag in the sport,” Covington told FanSided MMA. “That’s the same dude that turned me down three times. Do you want to go to Joe Silva’s phone right now? Do you want to call him? I asked to fight Kamaru Usman three separate times, and three separate times he turned me down to fight. I think the UFC knows why I got this fight because everybody is turning down fights with me. When a faker like Kamaru Usman wants to speak up and act hard towards the media, wait until the real truth comes out.”
Usman has said on multiple occasions that he will let his performances do the talking for him when it comes to getting the big fights. Covington feels that he got the fight with Maia, not just because of his ability to talk trash, but also with his, in college basketball terminology, strength of schedule
“Why doesn’t that guy go beat someone in the rankings,” Covington continued about Usman. “I’ve beaten guys in the rankings. I beat Mike Pyle when he was No.13 in the world, and that was on two weeks notice. I just beat No. 7 in the world, Dong Hyun Kim. Tell that guy to go beat someone in the top-15 and then start running his mouth. But until then, if he’s going to beat these Brazilians coming off the juice like Sergio Moraes, who is a nobody, come on. Let’s get real. I deserve this fight with Demian Maia and I’m going to show that I’m the best fighter in the world. Kamaru Usman is easy money.”
Covington will look to make it five straight victories over Maia in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 119, which takes place at Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The event will air on FS1.