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The rise of Kamaru Usman through the ranks in the UFC needs no mention. The current UFC welterweight champion has defended his belt successfully on four occasions.
According to Dana White, he is currently the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. In an interview with TSN ahead of UFC 266, White said:
“When you talk about Usman — Usman is without a doubt the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world right now.”
Watch Dana White's interview below:
With Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington set to meet in a rematch in November, fans have begun speculating who the victor will be this time. The two fighters first met at UFC 245 in 2019, with Usman winning the highly competitive barnburner.
Given Usman's phenomenal growth as a striker, Colby Covington must make sure he has enough moves in his arsenal to thwart the Nigerian's progress. He needs to make sure that the mistakes from the last fight are not repeated at UFC 268.
To claim the UFC welterweight championship title, Covington should avoid striking with Usman, especially after the Nigerian knocked Jorge Masvidal out cold.
To that end, here are five reasons why 'Chaos' should refrain from striking with Kamaru Usman in their UFC 268 rematch.
#5. Colby Covington's shorter reach will cause him problems against Kamaru Usman
One of the prime reasons behind Kamaru Usman's deadly striking abilities is his long 76-inch reach. Covington's 72-inch reach puts him at a disadvantage as closing the distance could become problematic.
Additionally, it's arguable that Colby Covington may not be highly adept at finishing a fight purely through strikes. He has four KO/TKO victories in his 16-2 record. Eight of his wins have come via judges' decisions. The remaining four have come via submission.
Kamaru Usman, on the other hand, has had success in terms of wins by KO/TKOs, especially of late. Thanks to his training with Trevor Wittman, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has developed excellent jabs and crosses.
Speed is another attribute that Usman has in spades. Although Colby Covington is known for his quick movements, he still needs to be on his toes against Usman. Getting close to an opponent with such agility to strike is going to be very difficult for Covington.
Usman boasts a 19-1-0 record. He comes into the fight with 18 straight wins, half of them coming via KO/TKO. He also holds the record for the longest active winning streak in the UFC with 14 wins.
Colby Covington would need to be at the top of his game to cause Kamaru Usman any real discomfort in the striking department.
#4. Ring rust could be a major problem for Colby Covington
Colby Covington's time away from the octagon could play a significant role when he meets Kamaru Usman for the second time.
Ring rust has often played a role in fighters' performance levels. It was pretty clear when Conor McGregor stepped into the octagon at UFC 257 after a whole year of inactivity. Despite a close first round, Conor couldn't match up to Dustin's striking game and was knocked out.
The Irishman blamed his inactivity for the disappointing performance.
Check out Conor McGregor's post-UFC 257 interview below:
Since his defeat at UFC 245, Colby Covington has stepped into the octagon just once. He squared off against former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in September 2020.
Kamaru Usman, on the other hand, has enjoyed a healthy amount of time in the octagon. Since UFC 245, Usman has fought thrice and has emerged victorious on each of those occasions. He defended his title twice against Jorge Masvidal and once against Gilbert Burns.
According to Trevor Wittman, Usman's activity will give him the advantage going into the bout against Colby. Speaking to Dave Schmulenson, Wittman claimed that Kamaru Usman is mentally stronger than Colby Covington because of his frequent appearances inside the octagon.
#3. Kamaru Usman under Trevor Wittman looks more lethal
Usman faced arguably his biggest challenge, Gilbert Burns, at UFC 251. A decorated BJJ black belt, Burns offered a few significant strikes before Usman finished him off with a TKO in the third round.
The stats clearly showed Usman's striking prowess. He had 83 significant strikes compared to Burns' 45.
A great deal of this success can be attributed to his striking coach Trevor Wittman. Prior to UFC 251, Kamaru Usman relocated to Colorado to train under Wittman, who also coaches Justin Gaethje - another phenomenal striker.
The improvement was evident at UFC 261 when he handed Masvidal his first knockout loss since 2008.
Usman under Wittman looks more dangerous than ever, meaning Colby Covington should be wary of getting into any striking exchanges with 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.
#2. Colby Covington's biggest asset is his wrestling
Colby Covington's strengths lie predominantly in wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Although he isn't as skilled as Burns in BJJ, his grappling game is second to none. He is a two-time NCAA All-American Division I champion, as well as a two-time Pac-10 champion.
According to official UFC statistics, Colby Covington has 48 successful takedowns of the 112 he has attempted so far. Interestingly, he has the same number of takedowns as Khabib after 13 fights in the UFC. Kamaru Usman, meanwhile, has only 28 successful takedowns of the 99 he has attempted.
At UFC 245, both fighters avoided using their wrestling skills and relied on striking alone. This time, it would be wise for Covington to test Usman's defense with his wrestling prowess.
#1. Kamaru Usman outstruck Colby Covington at UFC 245
UFC 245 was undoubtedly a close contest. Although Kamaru Usman emerged the victor via a fifth-round TKO, both fighters were competitive throughout the bout.
Kamaru Usman enjoyed a 48% rate on significant strikes, while Colby Covington threw them at 36%. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' was also ahead when it came to body shots. He landed 53 of the 74 he attempted. Covington, meanwhile, connected with 29 of his 39 strikes to the body attempted.
The first two rounds were close, but Kamaru Usman dominated the third. He landed 58% of his significant strikes compared to Colby's 15%.
'Chaos' caught up to Usman's striking in the fourth, but 'The Nigerian Nightmare' pushed his way to glory in the fifth. He landed 51% of his significant strikes to Colby Covington's 31%.
Usman also supposedly broke Colby's jaw during the fight. However, Covington denied these reports in an interview with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto.
Colby Covington claims his performance at UFC 245 was his worst yet. However, he would be foolish to underestimate the striking advantage that Kamaru Usman enjoys going into the rematch.
Usman has improved leaps and bounds in the standup game since his fight with Covington. Having lost to 'The Nigerian Nightmare' twice, Jorge Masvidal, a former teammate of Colby, knows all about Usman's advances in the striking department. 'Gamebred' believes that Usman will emerge victorious in the rematch. In an interview with ESPN, he said:
"His hands are where they need to be at right now. I bet he’s gonna have more confidence than ever because he knows I’m somebody that’s never been finished so he can definitely take that with a pride of honour, put his hard head on, keep getting the work. I think he gets a finish on Colby."
With a title to fight for, Colby Covington should stick to his strengths. He must force Kamaru Usman to defend against his wrestling because, in a standup battle, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' looks to be the clear favorite.
