Colby Covington’s uncharacteristic praise for Kamaru Usman at UFC 296 media day has MMA Twitter abuzz - “Gonna become best friends in a few years”

Colby Covington has led fans into confusion by saying kind things about former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman heading into UFC 296.

Since Usman has also praised Covington in recent times, it's not coming out of nowhere, but it's still odd to see, considering how heavy the bad blood was across a pair of welterweight title fights. Usman notably won both of those fights with a stoppage and points win, respectively.

On being asked about Usman's recent Khamzat Chimaev fight while doing media ahead of his December 16 title bid against Leon Edwards, Covington said:

"He (Usman) was striking him (Chimaev). I thought he dropped him you know. Cum shot was scared to strike with him. He didn't even hit him once you know. Look at the significant strikes that were landed. So if that was a five-round fight, Usman would have destroyed him. He would have finished him in those championship rounds.

"So I thought he looked good. He took it on what four or five days notice you know, at 185? So up a weight class, never fought at that weight class. So, you know, I thought he beat him."

Several X users had their say on the enemies seemingly trending towards much more peaceful territory with each other.

@WayneAlt1 said:

"Yeah, they’re gonna become best friends in a few years"

@GabrielDeShawn stated:

"Usman and Colby speaking respectfully of one another is something I never thought I’d see. But I’m all for it."

@quan_eth quipped:

"You can tell he respects Usman I like this side of Colby, just being real"

@Erik_Hates_You said:

"I mean he’s right other the first round Usman pretty much outstruck him on the feet and landed more so at best it should’ve been a Draw due to that 10-8 Khamzat 1st round, I’ve rewatched it on mute and that was my conclusion."

@208brick stated:

"Colby and usman gonna be like Chael and Anderson"

@LaCabraBrava05 quipped:

"It brings a smile to my face when i hear colby and usman talk about each other and how much respect there is between those two"

Check out the surprise Colby Covington praise for Kamaru Usman below:

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Colby Covington and the people he has trash-talked

While it seems like there is some current good faith towards past adversary Kamaru Usman, many have received Colby Covington's verbal venom and will likely continue to.

Leon Edwards is presently the focus of several verbal tirades as Colby Covington readies to try to claim Edwards' welterweight belt at UFC 296 this Saturday.

Former teammate/ roommate/ best friend Jorge Masvidal became one of Covington's most consistent targets for trash talk. The intense rivalry eventually came to a head at UFC 272 last March. In that pay-per-view main event showdown, Colby Covington would earn the victory via unanimous decision.

Things had seemingly come to a boil after the fight when reports came out intimating that Jorge Masvidal jumped Colby Covington in the street relatively shortly after their octagon encounter.