Colby Endorses Usman for Title Shot
Colby Covington endorsed Kamaru Usman for the next welterweight title shot, praising the former champ as someone who "sells" better than rising stars with "no personality." Meanwhile, Islam Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz revealed the UFC is planning a welterweight title fight for the champ that's "much bigger" than one against Ian Machado Garry.
The endorsement from Colby "Chaos" Covington for his arch-rival Kamaru Usman is a surprising twist in one of the UFC's most heated feuds. Their rivalry is built on a foundation of deeply personal trash talk and two brutal title fights. Covington has previously accused Usman of faking injuries and has disputed the outcomes of both their previous encounters, claiming an early stoppage in their first fight and that many people scored the second fight for him. Usman defeated Covington in their first meeting at UFC 245 via a fifth-round TKO and won their rematch at UFC 268 by unanimous decision. Despite the two losses, Covington has continued to call for a trilogy bout to settle their "unfinished business." Recently, he even challenged Usman to a wrestling match outside of the UFC. The current welterweight champion, Islam Makhachev, captured the title by moving up from the lightweight division. For his first title defense, a fight with former champion Kamaru Usman was heavily discussed, with both fighters and their shared manager, Ali Abdelaziz, expressing interest. However, recent reports indicate that the UFC may be moving in a different direction. While rising contender Ian Machado Garry has been positioning himself for a title shot, Makhachev's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has hinted at a "much bigger" fight in the works. This has fueled speculation about a potential superfight between Makhachev and the current lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria. A champion-versus-champion bout between two of the top pound-for-pound fighters would be a massive event for the promotion. Makhachev is expected to return to the octagon after Ramadan, with a timeframe of April, May, or June being mentioned. While the UFC has not officially announced his next opponent, the welterweight division is stacked with contenders. Besides Garry and the possibility of a Topuria superfight, other names in the mix include rising prospects like Michael Morales and the eventual return of the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov.
