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Kamaru Usman's manager Ali Abdelaziz claims there is no way Colby Covington will be the next challenger for the UFC welterweight title. Instead, Nate Diaz could be.
Colby Covington has been campaigning for a second shot at the 170 lbs. title for a while now. However, he seemingly lost out to his friend-turned-foe Jorge Masvidal, who is set to fight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 261.
From what Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie's John Morgan, Colby Covington is nowhere near getting a shot at the gold next. Among the UFC welterweights that Abdelaziz named who stand to be the next challenger, Nate Diaz and Leon Edwards are two:
"Kamaru is a champion. By the time this fight is finished, he would have fought three times since he fought [Colby] Covington. If Colby Covington thinks he is gonna get a title shot coming off one win, he's crazy. We have got Leon Edwards, he's on a nine-fight winning streak. If he goes out there and beats Nate Diaz, he's the no. 1 contender. If Nate Diaz go out there and beat Leon Edwards, he is the no. 1 contender."
Leon Edwards has been undefeated for nine fights, eight of which he has won with the other one culminating in a 'no contest'. Leon Edwards is booked to fight Nate Diaz in the co-main event of UFC 262 for the latter's much-awaited return to the octagon.
With Leon Edwards being the no. 3-ranked welterweight at the moment, a win over him would certainly put Nate Diaz in a position to get a shot at the title next.
Ali Abdelaziz: Colby Covington is not the no. 1 contender
Colby Covington, on the other hand, has fought and won only once since his jaw-breaking loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 245 in 2018.
Covington faced Tyron Woodley, who is currently ranked at no. 10, and won in the fifth-round via TKO. But that wasn't enough to secure a title shot, according to Ali Abdelaziz, especially after the champion has fought three times since their meeting:
"Colby is not the no. 1 contender. He's no near the no. 1 contender. You can't just win over Woodley and get a title shot, and the champ has fought three times. He's the no. 6 contender, maybe, or the no. 6 pretender. Because Colby Covington doesn't like to fight. Colby Covington like to do interviews and cash in on some sponsors. He doesn't like to fight. Last time he fought, you saw what Kamaru Usman did to him. And this is gonna happen to him again, worst."
