Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) icon, Kamaru Usman has received support for his decision to step up from welterweight to middleweight in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), as one of his rivals in the lower category, Colby Covington recalled that the Nigerian was ‘oversized’ for the division.
Sports247 reports that, although Usman has lost two fights when he stepped into The Octagon as a middleweight, he has gained support from Covington, who took on Arman Tsarukyan at RAF 11 in Milwaukee, USA on Saturday.
READ ALSO: Kamaru Usman’s Loss To South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis In UFC Blamed On ‘Age Factor’
It was the same night when Usman returned from a 13-month layoff, only to lose to former middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis of South Africa via a unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night in Oklahoma, USA, but Covington insists ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ had no choice but to step up in weight.
Incidentally, he and Usman had arguably the most notable rivalry at welterweight, during which the Nigerian fighter won two classic fights, with Covington battling gallantly up to the fifth round in each appearance, hence his verdict that the 39-year-old ex-champ has nothing to be ashamed of.
Covington told Uncrowned, “He was always a big welterweight. He was always oversized for the division. That was his biggest strength. He was just so much bigger than everybody at welterweight. He was so strong, so big.
“He put up a great fight against Khamzat (Chimaev). I think he should have won that fight, honestly. If it was five rounds, he would have won that fight, but he still did more damage in that fight. That’s the guy who was regarded as the best middleweight on the planet.”
Sports247 recalls that Usman’s clash with Chimaev was his middleweight debut and, though it came at short notice for him in October 2023, he lost a majority decision across three rounds, then rebounded with a dominant effort at welterweight against Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.
Unfortunately, his second outing as a middleweight ended in defeat in the early hours of on Sunday, as Usman lost via unanimous decision after going the distance of five rounds versus Du Plessis, who lost his belt to Chimaev in August 2025 and was not seen until he returned last weekend.
 icon, Kamaru Usman has received support for his decision to step up from welterweight to middleweight){kind=link}