Colby Covington thinks his late surge was enough to dethrone Kamaru Usman at UFC 268.
Covington (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to welterweight champion Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) earlier this month, in what was another competitive fight after their all-out war at UFC 245.
Although their rematch played out differently, Covington’s toughness was on full display once again. He had to battle through some early adversity when he was rocked twice in Round 2 but came out strong in the championship rounds. But despite his best efforts, he wasn’t able to outlast Usman on the judges’ scorecards and Covington thinks he was wronged.
“I clearly won that fight three to two,” Covington told Submission Radio. “The third, fourth, and fifth round were my rounds – and even if you were looking on a different side of the scope, I think you could see me winning the first round too. It was very close and competitive. After ten rounds, the people see what happened. We fought two times. At the ten rounds, at the worst, I’m winning six rounds to four.
“So, I think there needs to be another fight, there’s needs to be a trilogy if he stays around, if he wants to stick around. After fighting me two times I think he realizes how serious I am and how bad I want that belt. So, I don’t know if he’s willing in that octagon like I am, and I’m gonna get my shot back at him – if he doesn’t retire first. He might retire and just go ride off into the sunset. But if not, I’m looking for that Marty trilogy.”
Covington was able to drag Usman down to the mat, but wasn’t credited for the takedown. Had it counted, he would have been the first man to take Usman down and Covington believes he was robbed of that stat.
“”I took him down definitely two times,” Covington added. “Any wrestler, even DC – DC’s on there. I mean, the guy’s an Olympic wrestler, NCAA champion, one of the best wrestlers of all time, and a wrestling coach – and if he’s saying that that’s two, that’s a takedown. I mean, it’s pretty obvious that I broke that record. He’s not unblemished on his being taken down record in the UFC anymore. I’ve obviously taken him down, I took him down twice, I won the fight. I dropped him and I wobbled him, hurt him to the body. That was my fight, man. The people saw that. That’s who they were rooting for at Madison Square Garden.”
Although Covington and Usman shared a nice, cordial moment after their fight, Covington insists that he doesn’t respect the champion.
“I can’t respect that guy. How can I respect a cheater? He poked me in the fight. I was clearly poked again. Like, again. That’s the second time he’s poked me. He grabbed the cage when I was taking him down the second time. He was grabbing the fence. That’s clearly cheating. I mean, he cheated multiple times in the first fight. When did I ever cheat? Not one time did I cheat or do anything wrong in both fights. I fought clean, I fought hard, I never took any breaks, and I can’t respect him. He’s a cheater. I mean, it’s clear that he does steroids.
“Like, that’s what we get. That’s the best guy in the world. The CEO of EPO. He’s a supposed pound-for-pound chemical f*cking fighter of the year. He’s got a chemical imbalance, you know, acne over his face, all over his back. Come on, dude, he lost his hairline. I made so much fun of him that Marty Juiceman gave away his hairline, he just shaved it. He’s like, ‘you know what, let me just go. It’s already halfway up my head. Let me just get this out of here, man. No more, man. I’m taking it off.’ He’s bald now. He’s an ugly f*cking motherf*cker but it’s clear that he’s a cheater. I don’t respect a cheater.”
