Colby Covington: Kamaru Usman is the ‘second best’ fighter in the world

Colby Covington went uncharacteristically quiet after his UFC 245 welterweight title fight fight with Kamaru Usman, which he lost via fifth-round TKO after four razor-close rounds. That period of silence has ended.

Now, the outspoken welterweight star is back in the headlines will all of the confidence and bravado for which he’s become known.

Speaking on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday, Covington looked back on his loss to Usman, declaring the champion the “second best” fighter in the world, and assuring that he and Usman are on a totally different level than their rivals.

.@ColbyCovMMA calls Kamaru Usman the "second best" fighter in the world. Says himself and Usman are on a different level than the rest of the division. #HelwaniShow @arielhelwani

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) February 3, 2020

While Covington did give Usman’s skill a bit of a nod, he then reverted back to his typical trash talking, disparaging the champion for his personality.

.@ColbyCovMMA calls Kamaru Usman a "human trash bag" and says Usman has the charisma of a mop. #HelwaniShow @arielhelwani

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) February 3, 2020

Covington also addressed the stoppage in his UFC 245 fight with Usman, which some fans felt was a tad premature. He believes referee Marc Goddard grossly overstepped by stopping the fight when he did, and vowed not to let Goddard officiate his fights in the future.

.@ColbyCovMMA says that referee Marc Goddard should have been a "fly on the wall" inside of the Octagon during his fight against Kamaru Usman but Goddard "wanted to make it all about himself." Says Goddard shouldn't be allowed to referee #MMA anymore. #HelwaniShow @arielhelwani

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) February 3, 2020

.@ColbyCovMMA promises he'll never let Marc Goddard referee one of his fights again. #HelwaniShow @arielhelwani

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) February 3, 2020

While Covington is clearly disappointed about the result of his fight with Kamaru Usman, he’s confident he’ll become the welterweight champion in the near future, and wants a rematch with Usman ASAP.

.@ColbyCovMMA says he will be the #UFC welterweight champion by this time next year. #HelwaniShow @arielhelwani

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) February 3, 2020

.@ColbyCovMMA says he wants an immediate rematch against Kamaru Usman for the #UFC welterweight title. #HelwaniShow @arielhelwani

— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) February 3, 2020

For what it’s worth, Usman seems to have very similar opinions to Covington, having recently acknowledged his rival’s skill and conceded that they’re likely to rematch in the future.

“He really showed how good he is, and I give respect when respect is due,” Usman said of Covington on the Joe Rogan Experience. “I’m no hater. I know he could fight. I know he was good. I knew he was tough and I knew he was a competitor, as well. He’s always been a competitor.”

“He’s a tough guy, and at the end of the day, to make fantastic fights, you got to have the right dance partner, and he was the right dance partner. To be honest with you, if I didn’t take too much out of him – because each fight takes something from you internally – so if I didn’t take too much from him, I think I might see him again, to be honest, because it’s clear that we are the best two guys in the division, and so yeah, I look forward to seeing him again.”

Do you think Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman will fight again in the future?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 2/3/2020.