"I know he respects me" - Kamaru Usman senses mutual respect between him and 'great competitor' Colby Covington
Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington have been at each other's throats on multiple occasions. Despite that, the UFC welterweight champion senses mutual respect between him and his arch-rival.
Usman and Covington are scheduled to meet inside the octagon this Saturday at UFC 268. The two previously fought each other in 2019, where 'The Nigerian Nightmare' was victorious.
During his appearance on the first episode of the UFC 268 Embedded: Vlog Series, Kamaru Usman didn't shy away from accepting that Covington is a "great competitor."
Although the pair have never been close to being cordial with each other, the mutual respect between them stems from the competitive spirit of the sport, Usman suggested.
"We're going into the second fight with Colby now and I'm expecting the toughest Colby there's been... Fighting a guy like Colby, you'd expect a lot of mutual respect because we've actually shared that octagon for almost 25 minutes. He gets kind of a rep for the way that he behaves outside of the cage. I know he respects me, I know he does. He might not wanna show but I know he does. And I've a lot of respect for him as well. I think he's a great competitor, I think he's very, very tough, but the wisdom that I've acquired in this last year alone kind of trumps everything he has done. No pun intended."
Catch Kamaru Usman's comments in the video below (2:00):
Kamaru Usman will defend his belt for the fifth time at UFC 268
Kamaru Usman's first title defense was opposite Colby Covington at UFC 245. Since then, he has registered three consecutive victories against Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns.
With four title defenses under his belt, Usman has made a strong case for challenging the legacy of the great Georges St-Pierre. That argument will only be solidified if he breezes past Covington this weekend.
However, it goes without saying that 'Chaos' poses more of a threat to Usman than any other welterweight in the division. Covington pushed his 34-year-old rival to his limits in their first encounter and the rematch could end up being just as competitive.