Colby Covington criticizes Kamaru Usman for “knocking out lightweights” ahead of rematch at UFC 268

Colby Covington criticized UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman for “knocking out lightweights” ahead of their rematch at UFC 268.

Covington and Usman finally meet for the second time next month when they fight in a rematch that serves as the main event of UFC 268. For Covington, this rematch has been two years in the making after losing via fifth-round TKO at UFC 245. Ever since that first fight, Covington has been pursuing the rematch and now he finally gets it. As for Usman, he has stayed busy since beating Covington, putting up three title defenses since then.

Covington, however, isn’t buying Usman’s title defenses over Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal. Speaking to ESPN in a recent interview, Covington criticized Usman for his opposition, suggesting that he has been beating blown-up lightweights instead.

“I had to go out and finish a former world champion in (Tyron) Woodley. He got too easy paychecks against lightweights that should have never been there. His last fight was against ‘Street Judas’ Masvidal. God, I was beating that guy decades ago. That’s not an achievement. You’re proud for beating that guy? That guy’s a lightweight. He shouldn’t even be up here at the top of the mountain,” Covington said (h/t MMAFighting.com).

“He’s knocking out lightweights, he’s knocking out guys that shouldn’t be in there with him. These are easy paychecks and there’s a reason he fought those guys, because he knew he was going to win. A former training partner of his, Dilbert, the guy should have never been in there. ‘Street Judas’ Masvidal? The only reason he’s in that position is because he’s got all the hype on him. No one cares to see that guy fight. He’s not a top-tier fighter. ‘Street Judas’ Masvidal is the most fragile guy on the UFC roster and he deserves no place fighting in a championship fight and we found that out.”

Do you agree with the criticism that Colby Covington directed towards Kamaru Usman?