Ian Garry believes it’s time for Kamal Usman and Colby Covington to move aside and give way to the next generation of welterweights.
This Saturday, “The Future” first sets into the main event spotlight when it first met a surge in competitor Carlos Awards in Kansas City.
It is also the first time Garry has tried to bounce back from loss after a shortage against Shavkat Rakhmonov in December.
Speaking to Shakiel Majuli before returning to the Octagon this weekend, Garry shredded both Covington and former welterweight king Kamal Usman, accusing him of refusing to fight the younger guns in the division, with the exception of the fight, and doing everything possible.
“We’re out with the old and the new,” Garry said. We’re trying to slug Paddy Pimblett just to remove these people who are trying to stay relevant like Kamal and Colby and to keep them relevant just by talking on a podcast. That’s everything right now.
“They don’t want to fight. They’re no longer fighters, they’re finished… You’ve got these young, hungry killers approaching… And you’re just looking at what the welterweight division is changing over the next decade.”
Covington and Usman are 3-7 in the final 10 fights
Garry and Covington were on social media for 10 rounds last year, but nothing came. Instead, “Chaos” continued to fight Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa in December, suffering a second straight loss within the Octagon, moving 2-4 in his final six innings after the fight stopped via Doctor’s stop TKO in the third round.
As for Kamal Usman, the Nigerian Nightmare has lost three consecutive times, with its most recent appearance being a scrap of a brief violation against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2023.
He hasn’t won the battle since his victory in November 2021, you guessed it, Colby Covington.