Colby Covington’s next fight will not be for the belt after all. The former interim welterweight champion was waiting for a title shot but instead has a different fight. At UFC Newark on August 3, Covington will take on Robbie Lawler in the main event.
When welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman heard the news, he was thoroughly disappointed. The Covington fight was one he wanted for a long time. And instead may not get it, especially if “Chaos” loses.
“I literally smacked my head like this kid f***s it up again, again. I said from the start, this was going to be his fight to mess up and that is exactly (why) he did what he just did. Those gambling debts might have caught up to him. You never know the backstory of what is going on,” Kamaru Usman said to TMZ Sports. (as transcribed by BJPENN.com). “Debts might have caught up to him. He hasn’t fought for a long time trying to sit out and be a pest to not just to me but to Woodley at some point and also to Dana White at some point.
“You sat out for a long time and now you are kind of reaping what you sold. At the end of the day, this is not me saying oh, I don’t want to fight him. I definitely want to fight him,” he continued. “People might say well you are ducking Colby Covington, his three fans who continuously try to pester me every day. There is no one right now in the world that I would love to punch more or hurt more than him. Or Ben Askren. Either one I don’t really care it doesn’t matter. It just goes to show you who is in power and it’s not him.”
Colby Covington could still get the next title shot if he beats Lawler. But, Usman isn’t counting on that and instead is mad the former interim champion blew his shot at the title.
