Covington willing to complete trilogy vs. Usman with win at UFC 296

If he captures the UFC welterweight title this weekend, Colby Covington could see himself squaring off with former champion Kamaru Usman again – this time with the roles reversed.

Covington is scheduled to challenge Leon Edwards for the 170-pound belt in the UFC 296 main event Saturday in Las Vegas.

“I would love to see that trilogy (with Usman),” Covington said Wednesday at UFC 296 media day, courtesy of MMA Fighting. “That’s another fight that plays out – all these other contenders can wait because that’s bigger business that me and Usman have to settle. It’s unfinished business.”

Covington has lost twice to Usman in title fights – first in December 2019 and then in November 2021 – and had one of the most bitter rivalries in UFC welterweight history. Their first meeting was one of the best bouts that year, with Usman gutting out a fifth-round TKO win. Usman took a unanimous decision in the rematch. However, Covington said he should’ve gotten the judges’ nod in that fight.

“I feel like I’m a better fighter than him,” Covington said.

Edwards dethroned Usman with a shocking fifth-round knockout in August 2022 and then won an immediate rematch in March. Edwards is making his second title defense against Covington, who’s returning to the Octagon for the first time since a March 2022 win over Jorge Masvidal.

Usman hasn’t been victorious since losing the title to Edwards, but Covington praised “The Nigerian Nightmare” for his performance in a short-notice middleweight fight against Khamzat Chimaev in October. Chimaev beat Usman by majority decision, but it was a much closer contest than many expected.

“I thought (Usman) beat (Chimaev),” Covington said. “He was striking him; I thought he dropped him. (Chimaev) was scared to strike with him. He didn’t even hit him once. Look at the significant strikes that were landed.

“If that was a five-round fight, Usman would have destroyed (Chimaev). He would have finished him in those championship rounds. I thought he looked good.”

Usman, one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history, hasn’t confirmed whether he plans to return to 170 pounds or stay at 185 pounds for his next fight.

A trilogy bout against Usman wouldn’t be Covington’s only option for his first title defense if he beats Edwards. No. 2-ranked contender Belal Muhammad has a strong case for a title shot, and so would Shavkat Rakhmonov if he beats Stephen Thompson at UFC 296. Additionally, Covington said earlier this week he would be interested in moving up to middleweight to challenge Sean Strickland.