Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman thinks Colby Covington is in for a rude awakening at RAF 09.
Weidman meets Covington in Saturday’s co-main event at College Park Center in Dallas. While Weidman is making his RAF debut, Covington is already 2-0 with wins over Luke Rockhold and Dillon Danis. Weidman wants to remind Covington that his wrestling credentials are far more superior than those of Rockhold and Danis.
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“I watched his two matches that he had with Rockhold and Dillon Danis,” Weidman told MMA Junkie Radio. “He has a decent single leg. I think he’s tough. He was a great wrestler when he was competing, and I think he’s a goer, and I’m a goer, as well.
“I love putting a pace on and trying to get guys tired and break them. He’s tough. He’s 2-0. I will say I don’t think Dillon Danis and Luke Rockhold are on my level respectfully in terms of wrestling at all. So, I do think I’m a big step up in competition for him, and I appreciate him calling me out and wanting a tougher challenge.”
Weidman doesn’t see Covington having the advantage over him anywhere – even with speed.
“I don’t know if I even give him the speed (advantage),” Weidman said. “I think I’m pretty speedy when it comes to wrestling, but I’ll have to showcase that. We’ll see. His advantages? I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s planning on doing. I think it’s an uphill battle for him to be honest. It’s definitely a tough one. I just hope he doesn’t stall the whole time and run away from me.
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“If he wrestles with me, I think it’s going to be really tough for him. I’m big, I’m strong, I’m good in a lot of different positions in wrestling. I have a lot of freestyle experience. I was a multiple-time All-American in freestyle and also Greco in high school, then I was training for the Olympics in 2008. So, I got to be on the mat with some really good guys in freestyle.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Chris Weidman before RAF 09: ‘I’m a big step up’ for Colby Covington
