Colby Covington Says Three Title Fight Losses Gave Him a Wake-Up Call, Eyes Comeback With No. 1 Contender Status

Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington just got real about his journey in the UFC welterweight division! After falling short in three title fights—twice against Kamaru Usman and once against Leon Edwards—Covington admits he needed a wake-up call. For “Chaos,” these defeats were a harsh reminder of his failure to reach his ultimate goal: becoming the undisputed welterweight champion.

Now, with his sights set on reclaiming the No. 1 contender spot, Covington is determined to rewrite his legacy and get another crack at the title that has always eluded him.

In a series with ESPN MMA prior to his return this weekend, ‘Chaos’ opened up about his recent losses and how that affected him mentally. He claims that losing the fights was the lowest of lows and he felt lost as a person and forgot who he was. 

“That was a good reminder that woke me up again. I just had to cancel out the bad energy and I knew that I could not let that hype and ego get to my head. I had to train harder to be the number one contender again because all I wanted to be was the undisputed champion, that’s all I care about.”

Despite being one of the best welterweights in the UFC, Covington has time and again fallen short of the ultimate goal.

The first time was against Kamaru Usman at UFC 245 when he was stopped in the fifth round. The second time against Usman again at UFC 268 a fight that went to the judges’ scorecards. These defeats stung so much more as he had spent the entire lead-up to the fights making personal and derogatory remarks at Usman. 

His next title shot against Edwards was no different. After making a joke about Edwards’ father, who had been murdered when he was a child, Covington fell short at UFC 296, a fight where he looked uncharacteristically slow and rusty.

Edwards, a striker, out-grappled him and beat him at his own game, effectively ending any chance Covington had at redemption. However, for bizarre reasons, Covington still hates Usman the most.

Covington’s hate for Usman persists

‘Chaos’ didn’t sugar coat his words when revealing his most hated opponent: Kamaru Usman, or as he famously dubs him, “Marty Juiceman”. The nickname, while self-explanatory, is only an accusation that has never been proven. 

However, Covington’s disdain runs deep, with accusations of Usman of being a cheater and a coward always being thrown whenever the two of them fight. 

According to Colby, Usman’s victories came at the cost of fairness, and that’s something he simply can’t respect. In contrast, Covington sees himself as the embodiment of doing things the right way—taking the hard road without shortcuts or cheating.