Former UFC title challenger, Colby Covington, has expressed concerns regarding the conduct of Nigerian mixed martial artist, Kamaru Usman during their previous encounters as he prepares for his return to the octagon this Saturday.
Colby Covington, who is set to face Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Tampa, shared his thoughts during a recent Twitch stream when responding to fan questions about his most contentious rival.
He referred to Usman as “Marty Juiceman” and suggested that he engaged in unfair practices during their fights.
“Definitely ‘Marty Juiceman’ (Usman). I have concerns about fair play, and it’s hard to respect someone if they don’t adhere to those principles,” Covington stated.
He emphasized his approach, saying, “I’ve never cheated. I’ve done everything the right way. I didn’t cut corners, didn’t ask for shortcuts, and took the long road.”
The 36-year-old American has faced Usman twice, experiencing losses in both bouts. In their first meeting at UFC 245 in December 2019, Usman achieved a stoppage to retain the welterweight title, while their rematch at UFC 268 in November 2021 resulted in a closely contested decision victory for Usman.
Currently, Usman is navigating a three-fight losing streak and has not yet addressed Covington’s recent allegations.
His last fight was against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023, where he suffered a majority decision loss in a short-notice matchup.
The 37-year-old former champion from Auchi recently opted to decline a fight against undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 on December 7, citing that the timeline was “too early” for his return, despite acknowledging it as a “very winnable fight.”
Usman boasts an impressive career record of 20 wins and four losses, with 15 of those victories occurring inside the UFC octagon.
His recent challenges include back-to-back defeats to Leon Edwards, including a knockout loss that resulted in him losing his title at UFC 278, and a majority decision loss in their trilogy at UFC 286.