An ex-UFC contender, Colby Covington, has accused Kamaru Usman, a Nigerian MMA fighter, of foul play in their past fights as he gears up for his upcoming octagon appearance this weekend.
Covington, set to face Joaquin Buckley in the spotlight event at UFC Tampa, voiced these claims during a recent Twitch session while responding to fan queries about his least-favorite opponent.
“Without a doubt, ‘Marty Juiceman’ (Usman). Simply because he’s a cheater and a coward. He cheated on multiple occasions in our bouts, and I can’t respect someone who resorts to cheating in a fight,” Covington stated.
“I’ve always played fair. I’ve followed all the rules, didn’t take any shortcuts, took the long route.”
The 36-year-old American clashed with Usman twice, losing on both occasions.
Their initial faceoff at UFC 245 in December 2019 witnessed Usman defeating Covington to defend the welterweight title, while their rematch at UFC 268 in November 2021 concluded with a tight decision win for the Nigerian.
Usman, currently enduring a three-fight losing streak, has not issued any response to the accusations. His most recent appearance was at UFC 294 in October 2023, where he suffered a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev in a last-minute contest.
The 37-year-old fighter from Auchi recently turned down an offer to fight the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 on December 7, citing it as too soon for his comeback despite seeing it as a “very winnable fight.”
Usman holds an impressive career record of 20 wins and four losses, with 15 victories inside the UFC octagon.
His recent setbacks involve consecutive losses to Leon Edwards – a knockout that cost him his title at UFC 278 and a majority decision defeat in their trilogy clash at UFC 286.