Jorge Masvidal has no doubt that UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman can put Colby Covington away one more time.
Having trained with Covington for years and competed against Usman twice, Masvidal (35-15 MMA, 12-8 UFC) is familiar with both men. Masvidal lost a decision to Usman in their first outing last July and was knocked out in the rematch this past Saturday at UFC 261, a result that took many by surprise.
UFC president Dana White confirmed the plan is to set up a rematch between Usman and Covington, where “The Nigerian Nightmare” will look to make it 2-0 against his rival. After a tightly contested slugfest on the feet, Usman was scored a fifth-round finish of Covington, who protested the stoppage, back in December 2019.
After feeling his power, Masvidal thinks Usman (19-1 MMA, 14-0 UFC) will ride a ton of momentum hunting for another finish against Covington (16-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC).
“I think Kamaru keeps his hands up and comes to fight Colby the same fight that he did the first time. He just puts a thorough beating on him,” Masvidal told ESPN on Monday. “Colby will try and get some takedowns on him, and it might not work. Colby’s gas tank with other wrestlers is not something he wants to do. That’s why he didn’t take a shot in the first fight because he knows he’s gonna have to get tired.
“As long as Kamaru is in wrestling shape and comes in the same as the first time, hands up, pressuring him, I think he breaks him again. His hands are where they need to be at right now. I bet he’s gonna have more confidence than ever because he knows I’m somebody that’s never been finished so he can definitely take that with a pride of honor, put his hard head on, keep getting the work. I think he gets a finish on Colby.”
As expected, Covington reveled in Masvidal’s defeat to Usman, which comes as no surprise to “Gamebred.”
“I got plenty of groupies, and it just goes to show you that whether I win or lose, they’re always gonna be calling me out,” Masvidal said. “These motherf**kers will always be on my d**k, so it’s like (blows kiss), I love my groupies.”
Jorge Masvidal: Kamaru Usman ‘puts a thorough beating’ on Colby Covington in rematch
