Colby Covington understands the stakes of his UFC 268 welterweight title rematch with Kamaru Usman.
Covington has called for another shot at Usman since just hours after they first fought at UFC 245. Usman earned the victory in a five-round slugfest with a late TKO with just minutes left in the fight.
But Covington feels prepared ahead of their title rematch at UFC 268, in one of the most highly-anticipated fights of 2021. Covington gave Usman what was easily his toughest challenge in the octagon to date, and fans have wanted to see the two top 170 pounders run it back.
During a recent interview with Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole, Covington explained why a trilogy needs to happen right away if he pulls off the win over Usman this time around.
Colby Covington Seeks Revenge In Kamaru Usman Rematch
“I’m not gonna be a coward like [Usman] and run from this rematch,” Covington said. “He should have fought me and rematched me right away. The first time we fought, there was unfinished business. The people, the fans, saw for themselves how close that fight was, and that fight needed to be run back right away. But he refused it.”
“It’s going to be a life-changing defeat. He’s not gonna be wanting to come back for the trilogy.”
Covington has only fought once since the first Usman bout, earning a dominant TKO win over former champion Tyron Woodley at UFC Vegas 11. He was rumored to be in the running to fight former teammate and friend Jorge Masvidal, but contract negotiations never materalized.
Usman has looked nearly unstoppable by many during the same period, earning a knockout win over Gilbert Burns and back-to-back title defenses against Jorge Masvidal. Many believe Usman is firmly in the conversation amongst the great UFC welterweight champions in history.
There is no love lost between these two top UFC welterweights, and their rematch could be even better than their first battle in the Octagon.
What is your prediction for Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2 at UFC 268?
