5 reasons why Colby Covington is likely to become the next UFC welterweight champion

Colby Covington is a former interim champion in the UFC welterweight division. The 170'er possesses a bottomless gas tank that enables him to wrestle for 25 minutes without fear of tiring. As a former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, none but Kamaru Usman himself has managed to contend with 'Chaos'.

Everyone else wilts under Covington's relentless pressure and high-octane offense. Even his friend-turned-rival Jorge Masvidal, who was managing his energy well against Nate Diaz, struggled against the former interim champion's pace.

Unfortunately, as he is currently embroiled in legal issues involving 'Gamebred', Colby Covington is yet to return to the octagon. Regardless, once 'Chaos' marks his return to the cage, the entire division will be put on notice.

He has a very high chance of claiming the divisional throne and this list details five reasons why.

#5 Colby Covington's cardio

Cardio makes cowards of all men. Countless fights have taken place in the UFC, where a victor emerged purely due to their ability to outlast their opponent. Cardio is a fundamental physical attribute when it comes to MMA bouts. Colby Covington does not tire. He may very well have the best cardio in the entire division.

Colby Covington is a cardio machine 😳

Absolutely relentless from start to finish...

Complete domination 👊

#UFCNewark https://t.co/FFlscbvtHo

In his most recent bout against former champion Kamaru Usman, 'Chaos' was on the receiving end of a lopsided beating in the first two rounds. But as the former interim titleholder upped the pace of the bout, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' began to tire, albeit slightly.

This allowed Colby Covington to make his way back into the bout, rendering it far more competitive than the first two rounds implied. If his cardio can cause someone as well-conditioned as Usman to strain himself, then no one else is safe.

#4 Colby Covington's toughness

Colby Covington is notoriously difficult to finish. In 20 fights, he has only ever been finished twice, with one such loss being controversial in nature. Kamaru Usman managed to secure a TKO win in their initial bout after scoring several knockdowns and landing subsequent blows on the mat.

Colby Covington has had 20 MMA fights.

The only losses he's suffered since 2015 have been at the hands of the #1 ranked P4P fighter, Kamaru Usman.

He has a 85% win ratio and has beaten the likes of Maia, Dos Anjos, Lawler, Woodley & Masvidal.

An incredible career.

#UFC272 https://t.co/QPhxSkop5t

'Chaos', however, was never unconscious. He immediately protested referee Marc Goddard's decision. The only other time he's been finished was via submission against Warlley Alves. The welterweight division is devoid of submission specialists other than Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev.

If even 'The Nigerian Nightmare' can't completely knock him out, the chances of anyone else doing so are slim to none. Due to his pace, cardio and wrestling skill-set, 'Chaos' is an increasingly dangerous opponent for anyone who fails to finish him.

#3 Colby Covington's wrestling

Wrestling is often described as being one of the best bases for MMA. Takedowns enable UFC fighters to dictate where a bout will take place. Whether a fight will be contested in the standup department or through grappling sequences on the mat depends on the superior wrestler.

Early takedown again by @ColbyCovMMA
#UFC225 https://t.co/0Sey6ydiNk

Francis Ngannou, for example, used his wrestling skills to neutralize Ciryl Gane's striking. Colby Covington, a far superior athlete, is capable of outwrestling nearly everyone in the welterweight division. In wrestling circles, he is even thought to have secured a takedown against Kamaru Usman at UFC 268.

Being a superior wrestler grants him an advantage against most of the contenders in his division. With his highly credentialed wrestling skills in his back pocket, Colby Covington can use his cardio to thoroughly outwrestle and exhaust all of his foes en route to a dominant win similar to his victory against Jorge Masvidal.

#2 He has five-round experience

The last six fights that Colby Covington has partaken in have all been five-round affairs. At no point during those 25-minute bouts did 'Chaos' ever tire. Not only is his cardio flawless, but the former UFC interim champion knows how to pace himself for championship matches.

Colby Covington wrestled his way against the BMF Champ in Jorge Masvidal to win UFC 272 😤

Who's next?! https://t.co/RTbieOlBLo

The same cannot be said for almost anyone else. The reigning welterweight kingpin is Leon Edwards, who recently captured the title from Kamaru Usman at UFC 278. 'Rocky', however, does not have as much experience in five-round fights. Thus, he does not pace himself accordingly.

Covington is well aware of how he should pace himself in five-round bouts. He often maintains a high but controlled rate of offense in the first two and a half rounds before increasing his volume in the second half of the fight. This allows him to dominate foes who are already tired towards the end of their bouts.

#1 Colby Covington is a stylistic nightmare for Leon Edwards

Leon Edwards is a striking specialist with serviceable grappling. Unfortunately, the welterweight division's current ruler has certain holes in his game that render him a prime foe for Colby Covington. 'Rocky' has a tendency to try forcing the perfect striking exchange into existence.

This undercuts his overall output in his bouts, which works against him considering he isn't a finisher despite what his knockout against Kamaru Usman might suggest. Furthermore, he has a concerning habit of turning onto his stomach to get on all fours to stand up after being taken down.

According to Dana White, the UFC are looking at a fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington! 👀 What a match up that would be! https://t.co/Xu6lG7waku

This makes him susceptible to mat-returns, which 'Chaos' is highly skilled at executing. Additionally, always trying to force the perfect exchange means that he's vulnerable to anyone who can push at a high pace against him. This is precisely what Covington does.

The former interim champion throws a chaotic volume of strikes like flying knees, hooks, etc., all in an effort to force his foes to react more than they initiate. This forces his opponents into a purely reactive, offensively inert shell. They dance to his tune and are dictated by him.

If Edwards is still the welterweight champion after his trilogy bout with Usman, then Covington stands a good chance of dethroning him.