Kamaru Usman defeated Colby Covington by fifth-round TKO at UFC 245, thereby retaining his welterweight belt. It was certainly an odd fight; two wrestlers known for taking people down, and yet, during the entire bout, neither one even attempted to grapple. The entire contest played out on the feet, and it was immediately apparent that Usman was more powerful and technical while Covington wanted to pressure by moving forward and throwing combinations.
For the first two rounds, it was very much a close back-and-forth, but it was arguably a Colby-type fight –volume strikes and constant motion. Not to say that he won those two rounds, I had them split. It’s more to say it was more in Covington’s wheelhouse.
But round three was the tipping point. Usman did three important things. One, he threw front kicks; these racked up points on the scorecard. They hit Covington to the body to take the wind out of his sails and it kept him at bay, unable to press forward.
The second adjustment was body punches, hard hooks to the rib cage and solar plexus were the difference maker. Colby was visibly hurt and it caused him to lower his guard.
Thirdly, with Covington’s hands dropped, clearly then focused on defending against the strikes to the body, Usman landed a one-two combination that broke Colby’s jaw.
From that point forward, the challenger was in survival mode and the takedown was instantaneously out of the question. Plus, he couldn’t eat as many shots to the face, therefore further removing his pressure with footwork and striking.
Round three was unquestionably a win for Kamaru. Round four was more of the same with the champion dictating the pace, landing the better strikes, and beginning to outwork his opponent.
Yet, each round was close. Three out of the four could have gone either way. And Colby knew this, as did his corner. If he could have just held on, it’s possible he may have won a decision.
But equally aware of the proximity on the scorecard, the champion dropped Covington in the fifth and rained down hammer fists, leaving referee Marc Goddard little choice but to step in. There has already been some issue about the stoppage. The truth is, yes, Colby was not out but he wasn’t really defending himself either. He wasn’t even trying to take Usman down. He was just holding on.
Known for an incredible pace and never letting up on his opponents, seeing Covington on the ground, grabbing a leg, and trying to wait out the clock wasn’t a good sign. There was nothing wrong with the stoppage. Plus, if Colby’s jaw actually was broken, that’s arguably reason to stop the bout anyway.
If Covington lasts another minute until the fight is over and it goes to the scorecards, perhaps he could have gotten the win. But it wouldn’t have been justified. Colby lost fair and square.
However you slice it, Kamaru Usman won the fight, remaining the top of the division, riding an 11-fight win streak.
The win represents a bit of painful pride for myself. While I was ready for the Usman victory, it comes a bit heavy as it ultimately hinders the division overall. There’s not much competition left for Kamaru. If you look at the top 10, it’s littered with guys he has either already beaten or who are coming off of a loss.
The only real possibilities are a rematch with Leon Edwards. He definitely has earned it, having won eight in a row since losing to Kamaru. Still, most fans don’t know him.
A fight with Jorge Masvidal makes sense. After three high profile wins in a row, he’s arguably next in line. Even though he spends more time chasing money-fights against the likes of Conor McGregor, and as silly as it sounds, Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez rather than actually looking for championship gold.
Lastly is Santiago Ponzinibbio. He’s on a seven-fight win streak and was scheduled to face Usman back in 2018 but had to pull out. He just pulled out of his fight was former champion Robbie Lawler due to a staph infection. Who knows when he’ll be ready to go.
Kamaru Usman has cemented his legacy as an all-time great welterweight. Sure, Colby Covington has a bit of ground to stand on in being grated by the TKO. Overall, it was good drama and he was certainly a worthy opponent; which is something the champion is now lacking after having cleared out the division.
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