5 reasons why Colby Covington should avoid striking with Kamaru Usman in their UFC 268 rematch

#4. Ring rust could be a major problem for Colby Covington

Colby Covington's time away from the octagon could play a significant role when he meets Kamaru Usman for the second time.

Ring rust has often played a role in fighters' performance levels. It was pretty clear when Conor McGregor stepped into the octagon at UFC 257 after a whole year of inactivity. Despite a close first round, Conor couldn't match up to Dustin's striking game and was knocked out.

The Irishman blamed his inactivity for the disappointing performance.

Check out Conor McGregor's post-UFC 257 interview below:

Since his defeat at UFC 245, Colby Covington has stepped into the octagon just once. He squared off against former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in September 2020.

Kamaru Usman, on the other hand, has enjoyed a healthy amount of time in the octagon. Since UFC 245, Usman has fought thrice and has emerged victorious on each of those occasions. He defended his title twice against Jorge Masvidal and once against Gilbert Burns.

According to Trevor Wittman, Usman's activity will give him the advantage going into the bout against Colby. Speaking to Dave Schmulenson, Wittman claimed that Kamaru Usman is mentally stronger than Colby Covington because of his frequent appearances inside the octagon.

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#3. Kamaru Usman under Trevor Wittman looks more lethal

Usman faced arguably his biggest challenge, Gilbert Burns, at UFC 251. A decorated BJJ black belt, Burns offered a few significant strikes before Usman finished him off with a TKO in the third round.

The stats clearly showed Usman's striking prowess. He had 83 significant strikes compared to Burns' 45.

A great deal of this success can be attributed to his striking coach Trevor Wittman. Prior to UFC 251, Kamaru Usman relocated to Colorado to train under Wittman, who also coaches Justin Gaethje - another phenomenal striker.

The improvement was evident at UFC 261 when he handed Masvidal his first knockout loss since 2008.

Usman under Wittman looks more dangerous than ever, meaning Colby Covington should be wary of getting into any striking exchanges with 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.