Tag: Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman: Colby Covington admitted gimmick to prevent backlash for UFC 245 loss

Kamaru Usman believes Colby Covington is trying to soften what he predicts will be a hard fall after UFC 245.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] is trying to soften what he predicts will be a hard fall after UFC 245.

Covington (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) has portrayed an outlandish personality in recent years, creating countless enemies in and out of the sport. It’s gotten him plenty of attention as he’s fought his way up to a welterweight title fight with Usman (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC), but just days prior to the event, the challenger made an interesting revelation.

“Chaos” admitted in a recent interview that he decided to alter his persona – and become what’s best described as a Donald Trump-inspired heel – because he was in danger of being cut from the UFC. Usman found the timing of those comments to be nothing short of predominant.

“This is him trying to make excuses why he’s going to get his ass kicked on Saturday night,” Usman said during Wednesday’s UFC 245 athlete panel at MGM Grand Resort & Casino. “He’s already come out and said, ‘Oh, this is just an act.’ I don’t give a (expletive). He came out and said, ‘They were going to cut me, so it’s just an act.’ You (expletive) nerd. It doesn’t matter. After you get your ass kicked you can do whatever you want to do. I don’t care.”

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During the pre-fight athlete panel, Usman was joined by fellow UFC champs Max Holloway and Amanda Nunes, who also will defend their titles at UFC 245, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena and airs on pay-per-view.

Holloway was caught off guard when he learned of Covington’s admission and weighed in on how that changes his perception of the challenger.

“That’s heavy, because if you’re going to put on an act, you’ve got to stay with the act,” Holloway said. “When you retire, like WWE guys, they come out, and they do their stuff, and they keep their act no matter where they’re at. Then they retire and go, ‘It was an act.’ So I’m kind of surprised he just kind of came out nowhere and said that. It got me shook.”

Usman elaborated on Holloway’s statement, and said it only strengthens his mental advantage over Covington going into fight night.

“That’s kind of how I feel,” Usman said. “If you’re putting on an act, you’ve got to sell that. That’s your (expletive). You’ve got to sell that. That’s weakness already. He’s already finding – let’s dissect this thing. You’re already finding a way out: ‘Once I get beat up on Saturday don’t hate me, because I was just putting on an act because they were going to cut me.’ He’s doing that.”

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Regardless of whether Covington decides to stand behind or back down from everything he’s done to get himself into position to fight Usman, the champion said it doesn’t matter. He’s not letting any of it go, and he intends to punish Covington on behalf of the entire sport this weekend.

“He’s worried about me. I’m not worried about him,” Usman said. “He’s the one who has talked all the (expletive) in the world, so now he has to go prove that. The pressure’s on him. I’m champ, not him. He has to come out there and prove it. I’m relaxed. This is the fifth time this fight’s been offered to him. I’ve accepted every single one. He hasn’t.

“There’s no other person for him to fight but me, so that’s why he’s pretending to you guys like he wanted this fight, because there’s nobody else. You want to be champ? You’ve got to beat the champ.”

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‘UFC 245 Embedded,’ No. 3: Kamaru Usman gets a kick out of Colby Covington’s shtick

“It’s like the virgin at school that’s frontin’ for his friends like, ‘Yeah, I get chicks, bro.'”

The UFC’s 12th and final pay-per-view of the year takes place Saturday with UFC 245, and the promotion’s popular “Embedded” series returns to get you ready.

UFC 245 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

In the main event, UFC welterweight champion[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] attempts to defend his belt against [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] in a long-awaited grudge match. And in the co-main event, UFC featherweight title challenger [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] puts his belt on the line against [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]. Also on the card, [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] faces [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] for the UFC women’s bantamweight title.

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The third episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars at the top of the card. Here’s the UFC’s description:

On Episode 3 of UFC 245 Embedded, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has harsh words for both modern art and his opponent, Colby Covington, who experiences Vegas with a mall massage. Featherweight title challenger Alexander Volkanovski and champion Max Holloway cross paths at fight week checkin. Double champ Amanda Nunes and fiancé Nina Ansaroff get festive for a holiday photo. UFC 245 Embedded is an all-access, behind-the-scenes video blog leading up to the three title fights taking place Saturday December 14. Order the Pay-Per-View at ESPNPlus.com/PPV

Also see:

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UFC 245: pre-fight facts

Check out the key facts, figures and footnotes for UFC 245, which features 3 title fights, Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington, Max Holloway vs. Alexander Volkanovski and Amanda Nunes vs. Germaine DeRandamie.

Check out the key facts, figures and footnotes for UFC 245, which features 3 title fights, Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington, Max Holloway vs. Alexander Volkanovski and Amanda Nunes vs. Germaine DeRandamie.

UFC 245 breakdown: Does Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington come down to only grappling?

MMA Junkie fight analyst Dan Tom takes a closer look at the UFC 245 headliner between welterweight champ Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

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MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main event for UFC 245.

UFC 245 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

Kamaru Usman (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC)

Staple info:

  • Height: 6’0″ Age: 32 Weight: 170 lbs. Reach: 76″
  • Last fight: Decision win over Tyron Woodley (March 2, 2019)
  • Camp: Hard Knocks 365 (Florida)
  • Stance/striking style: Switch-stance/kickboxing
  • Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ UFC welterweight champion
+ “The Ultimate Fighter 21” alum
+ NCAA Division II national champ
+ 3x NCAA All-American
+ 6 KO victories
+ 1 submission win
+ 3 first-round finishes
+ Consistent pace and pressure
+ Good feints and footwork
+ Improved overall striking
^ Puts together punches well
+ Strong inside the clinch
+ Excellent takedown ability
^ In the open or against the fence
+ Superb top game and control
^ Rides and transitions intelligently

Colby Covington (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC)

Staple info:

  • Height: 5’11” Age: 31 Weight: 170 lbs. Reach: 72″
  • Last fight: Decision win over Robbie Lawler (August 3, 2019)
  • Camp: American Top Team (Florida)
  • Stance/striking style: Southpaw/kickboxing
  • Risk management: Good

Supplemental info:

+ UFC interim welterweight title
+ 2x NCAA Division I All-American wrestler
+ Pac-10 wrestling champion
+ Multiple grappling accolades
+ 3 KO victories
+ 4 submission wins
+ 3 first-round finishes
+ Relentless pace and pressure
^ Well-conditioned athlete
+ Improved overall striking
^ Footwork, combos, head movement
+ Excellent takedown ability
^ Chains attempts, constantly re-wrestles
+ Tremendous top game
^ Pins, strikes, cooks to submission
+ Superb wrist-rides and positional awareness

Point of interest: Pace and pressure

The main event for UFC 245 features a feud for the welterweight title between two wrestlers who have evolved into well rounded fighters familiar with the themes of pace and pressure.

The sitting champion, [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag], stepped onto the MMA stage with a primary skill set of wrestling and has made marked jumps in his striking ability under the care of Henri Hooft.

A Dutch style striking coach who emphasizes pressure, Hooft has been able to help Usman’s power and presence blossom on the feet, throwing shots much smoother in transition and off of breaks. In addition, the Nigeria-born fighter also appears to be a natural when it comes to his footwork.

Whether he is feinting forward or shifting his stance in combination, Usman will persistently corral his opposition toward the cage, attacking them with impunity whenever they step near it. The 32-year-old champion is also smart about shifting away from his opponent’s power side when advancing, all while throwing corralling hooks that help him close space.

Nevertheless, as efficient as this approach has been for Usman, he is still not beyond reproach defensively, which means successfully suffocating space will be crucial against a high-output opponent like [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag].

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A lifelong wrestler, Covington has been steadily improving solid striking fundamentals from fight to fight, something that assists his high pressure and pace. From not crossing his feet to resetting his angles on the outside, Covington can create lanes for his favored kicks and crosses off of his power side – shots that are often set up by his jab.

The 31-year-old American also does a decent job of rolling off of his crosses, keeping his head off the center line while throwing and moving. Though many will still point to Covington’s defensive behavior in his fight against Demian Maia, I have to imagine that a lot of that can be attributed to his prioritization of takedown defense and pressure (not to mention Maia’s underrated ability to strike and make fights ugly).

In his fight with Robbie Lawler, Covington displayed much better distance and risk management, cleaning up both his technique, as well as his “where’s” and “when’s.” That said, high-volume offense is a potent two-way street that the American challenger needs to be mindful of – particularly with his propensity to cut.

Ultimately, I see stanzas on the feet coming down to whether or not Usman can successfully (and smartly) corral and close down space on Covington. And if he can, then that’s when I suspect to see the majority of wrestling exchanges between these two.

Next point of interest: Wrestling advantages?

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‘UFC 245 Embedded,’ No. 2: A trip through nature with ‘Hiker Holloway’

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the big stars of UFC 245, which features Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington in the main event.

The UFC’s 12th and final pay-per-view of the year takes place Saturday with UFC 245, and the promotion’s popular “Embedded” series returns to get you ready.

UFC 245 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

In the main event, UFC welterweight champion[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] attempts to defend his belt against [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] in a long-awaited grudge match. And in the co-main event, UFC featherweight title challenger [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] puts his belt on the line against [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag]. Also on the card, [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] faces [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] for the UFC women’s bantamweight title.

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The second episode of “Embedded” follows the big-name stars at the top of the card. Here’s the UFC’s description:

On Episode 2 of UFC 245 Embedded, welterweight title challenger Colby Covington enjoys the familiar faces and fond memories at a Las Vegas wrestling tournament. Featherweight title challenger Alexander Volkanovski cruises through his workout but struggles with a hotel mini-fridge. Featherweight king Max Holloway leads his team on a hike at Red Rock Canyon and demonstrates his questionable tracking skills. Double champ Amanda Nunes does media hits and sightsees in LA. UFC 245 Embedded is an all-access, behind-the-scenes video blog leading up to the three title fights taking place Saturday December 14. Order the Pay-Per-View at ESPNPlus.com/PPV

Also see:

Spinning Back Clique: UFC 245 preview, UFC DC reaction

MMA Junkie’s John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack the latest MMA news and notes in Episode 6 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. In this week’s episode, John Morgan, “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” react to what transpired at UFC on ESPN 7 and preview what’s to come this Saturday at UFC 245.

Show rundown:

  • [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against [autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] at UFC DC. He was getting mostly dominated and on his way to a guaranteed decision loss before a huge right hand knocked out Overeem (and shattered his lip) with four seconds remaining in the fifth round. Rozenstruik remains undefeated at 10-0 overall and 4-0 in the UFC. But after that performance, are we buying or selling him as a legit contender at heavyweight?
  • [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] delivered a pair of painful groin’ kicks to [autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag] at UFC DC, then went on to score a TKO victory – but not before referee Dan Miragliotta advised Struve to continue fighting. Since when should a referee be offering fighters advice during a fight?
  • [autotag]Liz Carmouche[/autotag] made history as the first woman to step inside the octagon back in 2013. More recently, she competed for a UFC title again earlier this year but lost to flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. Carmouche, 4-2 in her last six fights, was released last Friday by the UFC – get this – while she was in Washington D.C. doing a promotional tour with troops for the promotion. What do we make of her unceremonious exit, and what’s next for her?
  • It’s UFC 245 fight week, which means we’re on the verge of finally seeing [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] clash with [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag], who’s been promoting the heck out of this showdown, but has he gone too far?
  • Speaking of UFC 245, there are two other big title fights on the card: [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Amanda Nunes[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] 2. Which challenger is more likely to win? And which “old dog” on the main card is more likely to turn back the clock: [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] or [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag]?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 6 of “Spinning Back Clique.”

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UFC 245 fight breakdown: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington

Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC 245 main event between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

Check out the MMA junkie’s John Morgan and Dan Tom’s analysis and predictions for the UFC 245 main event between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

UFC 245 video: Dan Hardy, John Gooden break down Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington

UFC 245 video: Dan Hardy, John Gooden break down Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington’s headlining fight

With three title fights slated for UFC 245, there sure is a lot going on Saturday night.

UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) headline the at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the winner will be dubbed the promotion’s best 170-pound fighter.

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Ahead of the fight, UFC broadcasters Dan Hardy and John Gooden take an in-depth look at the matchup in the latest edition of their pre-fight analysis series “Inside the Octagon.” Check it out in the video above.

UFC 245 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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Video: ‘UFC 245 Countdown’ for Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington

Did you miss the debut of “UFC 245 Countdown,” or just want to watch it again? Check out the main event preview now.

Did you miss the debut of “UFC 245 Countdown,” or just want to watch it again? Check out the main event preview now.

The segment takes a special look at the welterweight title fight between [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 10-0 UFC) and [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag](15-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC), which will let the winner claim he’s the best 170-pounder in the UFC.

UFC 245 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.

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“Countdown” goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don’t miss entire episode in the video below.

Check out the entire UFC 245 fight card below:

  • Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington – for welterweight title
  • Max Holloway vs. Alexander Volkanovski – for featherweight title
  • Amanda Nunes vs. Germaine de Randamie – for women’s bantamweight title
  • Jose Aldo vs. Marlon Moraes
  • Urijah Faber vs. Petr Yan
  • Geoff Neal vs. Mike Perry
  • Irene Aldana vs. Ketlen Vieira
  • Omari Akhmedov vs. Ian Heinisch
  • Matt Brown vs. Ben Saunders
  • Kai Kara-France vs. Brandon Moreno
  • Chase Hooper vs. Daniel Teymur
  • Jessica Eye vs. Viviane Araujo
  • Oskar Piechota vs. Punahele Soriano