Colby Covington at UFC 245 – Dec. 14, 2019
While Usman was making his way up the UFC’s 170-pound division with dominant performances and little fuss, Colby Covington was building an impressive welterweight resume of his own. But the man known as “Chaos” portrayed a very different personality to Usman as he made his way to the top of the division, with his outspoken persona making him the fighter the fans loved to hate.
It meant that the collision between the pair at UFC 245 last December was must-see TV as the two well-matched, world-class welterweights went toe to toe in a battle of skills and wills in the main event in Las Vegas.
The fight lived up to all the hype as the pair, both known for their wrestling, abandoned their mat skills for the night and went toe to toe in a thrilling five-round clash that did not feature a single takedown attempt.
Covington’s boxing looked slicker and faster, but Usman’s strikes carried more power and did more damage as the pair went back and forth across five breathless rounds at the T-Mobile Arena.
By the time the fifth round began, Usman had broken Covington’s jaw and was chasing a finish, while “Chaos” was desperately looking for a fight-changing final round to take the win on the scorecards. With the fight in the balance, both men threw caution to the wind, and Usman hit the jackpot as he downed his man and finished him with ground strikes to retain his title and halt the rise of his trash-talking rival.
It confirmed Usman’s status as the premier welterweight on the planet, and he’ll be looking to cement that position at UFC 251 when he takes on “BMF” champion Jorge Masvidal at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Watch Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington on UFC Fight Pass
[vertical-gallery id=471456]