10 UFC fights that absolutely must happen in 2018

#8 Colby Covington vs. Kamaru Usman

Colby Covington is largely hated by the UFC fans

Both men have called for a title shot against current Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, but it looks like Rafael Dos Anjos will be granted an opportunity against the champ first. Which means the next best thing for Covington and Usman would be a fight against each other to decide the true #1 contender – and if anything, that fight would be more intriguing than a Woodley/Dos Anjos title fight.

Firstly, both men are among the best wrestlers in the UFC at 170lbs – arguably the best two, in fact. And they’re both on tremendous win streaks; Usman is unbeaten in the Octagon with seven victories, while Covington is on a five-fight streak and is 8-1 overall in the UFC. Covington has had more opportunities to face elite fighters – he’s beaten Demian Maia and Dong Hyun Kim – but Usman is perhaps more feared – supposedly, the elite have refused to fight him.

Then there’s the small matter of the mutual dislike between the two. Usman has called Covington out numerous times due to his disrespectful nature and has accused ‘Chaos’ of ducking him. With a title fight on the line though, how could Covington say no? With both men largely disliked – in a good way – by fans, this could be the biggest heel vs. heel clash in the UFC since 2010’s Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley fight. The UFC needs to put it together soon.