Kamaru Usman: Colby Covington’s fights had something “almost addictive”

For several years, Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington had one of the fiercest rivalries in the UFC.

Their rivalry culminated with two fierce fights inside the Octagon. Usman won both encounters, first defeating Covington by fifth-round TKO in 2019 and later by decision in 2021, but both fights were razor-thin.

Years after his last fight with Covington, Usman revisited the rivalry in a conversation with Josh Thomson and John McCarthy on the “Weighing In” podcast.

In a somewhat surprising twist, he paid tribute to Covington for being a great rival and actually admitted that the intensity of their fights in the Octagon had addictive qualities.

“I know people can't believe I would honor Colby Covington,” he said. “I used to hear it all the time when people said, 'You need a great dance partner,' and that was him.”

“In that first fight, the tension was so high that it was a big challenge for me to prepare, train and go out there and focus on the zone, it's almost addictive – that zone where you think, 'I don't care what happens.'”

Usman's 2021 decision win over Covington was the last of his five title defenses as UFC welterweight champion. In his next fight, he dropped the title to Leon Edwards after suffering a shocking fifth-round head kick and knockout loss. He was then awarded an immediate rematch against Edwards, but he again lost to the Brit, this time by decision.

Kamaru Usman has fought just once since his second loss to Edwards. His last fight was last October when he accepted a middleweight bout against undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev on just a few days' notice. He lost the fight by decision but put in a very good performance despite the short notice.

Covington has fought just twice since his last loss to Usman. He first rebounded with a clear points victory over former training partner Jorge Masvidal. He then failed in his third attempt at the title, losing a one-sided loss to Edwards last December. He was briefly linked to a fight against undefeated welterweight contender Ian Garry, but the fight never materialized.